When Night Falls
by ABoxOfMacaronsPlease
Summary: "Without her Moon, Night is anything but whole." When a vengeful white peacock and a recently-declared noble black swan meet—both hailing from places many miles apart—it opens one to a chance of resuscitated goodness, and the other an eye-opening experience. Both, however, learn more new lessons through each other—of wisdom, friendship, understanding, and love. Shen/OC, slowburn
1. Prologue

**Things to know (IMPORTANT):** **Story does not follow the third movie, takes place half a year after the second movie, Shen is thirty-eight years old (assuming "Young Shen" committed panda genocide at the age of eighteen and Po was at least one year old), may contain violence.**

**A/N: **

***adjusts glasses and tries to look sophisticated**

**Okay, first of all, thank you for those who decided to read this story—which was intended as a way to satisfy my need to make the imagination I had come to life! It's a little late for "Shen Season" (rise of Shen fanfics, most of which were posted shortly after the release of the second Kung Fu Panda movie), but whatever. This is my first ever Kung Fu Panda fanfic, and one that stars Shen as a fellow MC. I adored the movie series for a while already, the second one especially since I had some pretty fond memories of watching it with my dad. The story was also very intriguing, and looking at it now with new eyes I see that it truly was a work of art (I teared up when I rewatched Po's backstory; the great musical score added such intensity and feeling to the scene). **

**Secondly, I wanted to do a fanfic that has Shen as a main character; seeing as how few there are focusing on him in the archive (in my opinion). Aaand, the romance genre! Okay, okay, I get it—why pick Shen as the love interest? Well, because there are a lot of interesting points in his character. Realistically speaking I wouldn't want to place myself in a situation that involves falling in love with a genocidal criminal, but for the story's sake I'm just going to try to see how I can make love and a sense of purity work with a very hated criminal. So, it's going to be tricky on my part, but I think it'll be a worthy experience! But really, it's about redemption, developed love, and purification of a dark heart. Yes, yes, a Shen-redemption fic, combined with a Shen-is-a-love-interest fic. Sorry, but I love both (he really did have so much potential as a character).**

**Lastly, THE ROMANCE! Like stated above, I wanted to find a way to twist the romance genre, so either it'll turn out great or not (but that's up to you to decide). Now, taking out my list of the top four types of love interests paired with Shen . . .**

**1)Peahen 2)****A canon character (ex. Tigress, Viper, Po, etc.) 3)****Swan 4)****Other animals (larger felines, other birds, mythological creatures, etc.)**

**Ah, yes. Quite a bit for a nefarious, albino peacock. In the end I chose . . . a swan. For one, I love swans. And, I also wanted to add some more stories, though I do know and have read other stories out there of Shen paired with other avians, mainly peahens. This is also the first time I'll be putting actual focus on an OC, so hopefully I don't mess up the character and background.**

***wiggles glasses vigorously**

**Whew, that's a lot! On a final note, I also would like to thank one of my "bestest" friends for encouraging me to write this. This was originally intended to be a private story shaped in my head, but because I wanted to be a little more open with my creativity I decided to follow my friend's words and give it a go. While some might consider it odd to make a fanfic about a children's movie (and a good one at that), I thank my friend for supporting me and giving me the courage to post this story.**

**Anyway, enjoy! :3**

**FUN FACT: Some of the plot was thought up while I was brushing my teeth. It's weird, since I can be contemplative while brushing my teeth, but hey I get new ideas! **

**WARNING:** **Considering that this is a fanfic that stars adult, evil Shen, there will most likely be some dark themes involved (such as violence).**

**Disclaimer: Kung Fu Panda belongs to DreamWorks Animation.**

* * *

Prologue

* * *

Deep in the city of Gongmen, the civilians celebrated in joy. After spending time in suffering under the rule of their former prince, they were finally free.

Just like how the wise soothsayer had foretold twenty years prior, a warrior of black and white defeated the Gongmen's former evil ruler and saved the city. A panda, seemingly normal—and quite the humorous lump of fur—defeated the infamous Lord Shen.

While things were once again entering a time of peace, that didn't mean everything was over.

Right by the edge of a secluded, wintry forest was the weak form of a peacock; white feathers stained with grime and remnants of gunpowder, as well as some bloodstained plumes. The avian was carried by the river just a few meters way, far away from the buzzing activity of Gongmen.

Though formerly as white as the frost and snow on the ground, the dirtied peacock was easily noticed as a family of white rabbits made their way towards the freezing river. Unknowing of what had just transpired in the well-known city of Gongmen, and who the unconscious avian was, the family transported the injured peacock to their warm burrow to attend to his injuries.

Little did they know, the family's kindness would either result in the return of a dark-hearted villain . . . or possibly in the chance of a restart. At the same time, miles and miles away from China was another avian recently reunited her biological, noble family.

A swan, with feathers as black as the night sky. She, like her parents, felt immense joy upon being brought back together again. And though she was glad, it would still take some time until she would once fit in with the aristocracy. Twenty-four years of living with the common folk can make one of noble lineage think and act differently, but the two noble swans were just relieved and overjoyed to see their only daughter again.

Unbeknownst to the peacock and swan, the two would soon meet. One would experience a chance at redemption, while the other would be met with an eye-opening experience. However, both would be opened up to something familiar yet new: love.


	2. Bloodied Snow

**A/N: Just to let you all know, updates will be sporadic (I'm generally a spontaneous persom, and a lack of an update schedule makes me feel less pressured amd more inclined to continue). Anyway, enjoy! :)**

**Disclaimer: Kung Fu Panda belongs to DreamWorks Animation.**

* * *

Chapter 1 – Bloodied Snow

* * *

" _. . . defeated by a warrior of black and white,"_ echoed the soothsayer. Shen turned around and saw the Yin Yang, swirling endlessly to emphasize itself. The albino growled as he leered at the soothsayer, who now stood beside him. Like the swirling black and white circle, the goat stood as a bright and clear figure in the blackness of the realm.

"Defeated I may be, _soothsayer_, but that doesn't mean I'm completely down and out just yet," Shen hissed, his train slowly raising in intimidation.

The aged goat shook her head disapprovingly.

"Vengeance is not always the right solution, Shen. Revenge was just what you had recently committed, and look where it got you. You had the chance to change your path on your own, but instead you decided to continue down the dark route. That choice led to your defeat."

Shen scoffed.

"But I have more opportunities to show the world that this here peacock is worthy of being marked in the history scrolls—"

"As one of China's most heinous and hated criminals?" interrupted the soothsayer, raising a brow.

"No," replied the peacock as he began to gesticulate. "As a great ruler! A genius who created such revolutionary weapons for Gongmen—and China!"

"You are delusional. Where has my little Shen gone? The one who used to run around the palace gardens as he waited for his parents to be finished with their royal duties? The one who gave away his snacks to the poorer folk whenever we visited the streets of the city? Where has that wonderful, kind Shen gone?" The soothsayer's eyes reflected a wistful aching.

"He died a long time ago, that fateful night he was nearly left for dead in that silly little festival." Shen's blood-coloured eyes glared at the swirling Yin Yang symbol. His train feathers lowered until it settled in a relaxed manner on the nonexistent floor. The albino's glare slowly morphed into a distant gaze that almost seemed hopeless. "Besides, I'm too far gone by now."

The soothsayer frowned and gently placed a hoof on Shen's shoulder.

"Everyone can have second chances, but only if the person truly wishes it and acts on that desire. Desire can be a powerful thing, if it is intended for something good."

The peacock shook his head and brushed off his former nanny's hoof. Shen walked closer towards the glowing image of the Yin Yang. Each step he took made a ripple on the black abyss below him, almost as if he was walking on liquified shadow; Shen's white form stood out in the darkness of the unknown location. The avian stopped before the bright, swirling colours of black and white.

"It is this path I have chosen. For me, only revenge is attainable."

"But I know the snowy field shall always have a patch that remains white and pure, even if it is tarnished with the blood of some of the most innocent," the soothsayer muttered mysteriously.

Before she knew it, the soothsayer was lifted by throat. Shen settled his gaze on her calmly.

"I _will_ have my revenge on that panda, whether you like it or not, _Nana_. No one will change my mind. No one!" He dropped the goat unceremoniously before glaring at the Yin Yang with immense enmity.

The soothsayer's form started to become transparent, and bit by bit she started to fade into a grey mist. Her eyes bore sadness, but even her amber orbs began to fade into the darkness behind the hateful peacock.

"I am nought but a figment of your imagination, child. Yet I tried to get to you. You need to change for the better, Shen. If this continues, your life will continue to become more miserable and incomplete, no matter what you try to do to fill the hole in your heart. Though I lack a physical form, I am still the part of you that cries for help, in the form of the wise, old soothsayer who raised you. Your real Nana resides far from where you currently stay, but I'm sure she will play a role in the change you need. Learn from this." And with that, the elder goat faded completely.

Shen merely chuckled to himself.

"The only thing I'll learn is to be more cautious and vigilant as I plan my move," he mumbled. "No one, and I mean _no one_, shall stop me this time—not even that foolish panda. I will dominate China!"

Shen turned around to display his smug grin towards the soothsayer, only to find himself alone with the glowing symbol of the Yin Yang. His beak drooped a little as his grin vanished. In the black abyss of nowhere he stood, alone once again—just like the occasional day of "private thinking" during his twenty-year exile, away from the wolves and gorillas that once served him. The peacock shook his head before shifting his gaze downwards in contemplation.

"Even if I could redeem myself, I shall move on with my plans. Trust is no longer required, so the last thing I need is—"

"—help," Shen whispered.

Long, white ears twitched. The little rabbit beside the unconscious peacock silently hopped over closer to the bedside. Curious blue eyes looked at the slightly pained expression engraved on the albino's face. Suddenly, the creaking of the door was heard, which caused the rabbit to jump back. He landed on the soft form of his mother as she supported him with a paw; the other paw occupied by a bucket of warm water with wet herbs and rags.

"It's only me, sweetie. There's no need to be frightened," assured the older rabbit. She smiled as her son turned to look at her in confirmation. "May I see our guest, please?"

The smaller white rabbit nodded with a smile and hopped outside the room. When the boy was gone, the older rabbit dragged the bucket beside the bed where Shen laid. Her hazel eyes skimmed over the peacock's newly cleaned form, before reaching for the rags to wipe his face with. Except for the sound of water, the room had a rather relaxed silence.

"He said something a little ago while he is sleeping," piped the little rabbit, who placed a brown stuffed bunny beside Shen's form.

"Oh?" The rabbit's mother perked up. "What did he say, sweetie?"

"He said help, Mama."

_Help? With what? _wondered the hazel-eyed female. She lightly shook her head and patted her son on the head with a proud smile.

"He said help!" the younger rabbit repeated.

"You have good ears, sweetie," the mother praised, before making shooing gestures. "Now how about you help your Papa and Jun set up the table, hm? Maybe I'll even let you have dessert tonight."

"You're spoiling him rotten, Shu." Another white rabbit entered the room, who gazed at his wife with loving blue eyes; the same shade as their son's. He looked at his wife jokingly. Shu merely rolled her eyes.

"Stop before I give _your_ share of the sweets to Jun and Tai, Zhao," she quipped. Zhao laughed, before his sapphire gaze landed on the unconscious peacock next to his wife.

"How's our guest?" he asked, nodding towards the albino bird.

"He said help, Papa!" exclaimed Tai, the little white, blue-eyed rabbit who watched over Shen.

Zhao's eyes widened slightly.

"Really?"

Shu walked towards her husband, before whispering, "I'm not sure what it means, but it most likely has something to do with how he got here."

"Well, we shall see once he awakens from his beauty sleep." He placed a paw on his forehead dramatically.

Shu giggled at her husband's antics.

"We shall, hopefully. But for now we need to focus on tending to his injuries."

* * *

The days were swift, but also steady. Each day, the family of rabbits tended to an unconscious albino peacock, until a week passed by.

It was during a morning that Shen awoke. He groaned as he heard the faint whooshing of the snowstorm outside. His eyes slowly opened and he took in his surroundings.

"W-where am I?" he wondered silently.

He sat—while at the same time trying very hard not to scream in agony because of his low tolerance to pain—to get a better view of the room.

"Ah, you're awake!"

The peacock yelped as he turned to find the source of the voice; out of instinct he tried to reach for a blade hidden in his sleeves, but to no avail. Instead, he glared as he watched Shu fully enter the room with a warm smile. She slowly made her way towards the cautious peacock, carrying a bowl of soup. Shu places the bowl on the bedside table.

"That was actually supposed to be my breakfast, but upon hearing something in this room I decided to let you have it if I was correct about your awakening. And apparently I was right." The rabbit chuckled to herself, while Shen only frowned in confusion.

"Where am I?" he rasped, looking around the room and inspecting his injuries.

"You're in my family's burrow," Shu answered simply. "Upon finding you washed up on the riverbank, we decided to take you in and tend to your injuries. I'll admit, they were quite horrible! If we hadn't taken care of you, you would have died in the cold of this forest's edge."

_A forest, huh? _Shen still kept cautious of the rabbit, despite the kindness she and her family had shown thus far.

"There's no need to be so tense," Shu assured. "Clearly I come in peace. We even helped you. Surely that's en—"

"My blades," interrupted Shen as he leered at the white rabbit near him. "Where are they?"

Shu tilted her head in confusion.

"Oh, you had weapons? Well, I'm sorry to say this but we don't have them. I'm quite sure they were lost as you were being carried by the flow of the river. Metals play quite a huge role when it comes to one's chances of surviving a strong body of water deep enough to drown you."

"L-lost?" Shen whispered in disbelief. He mentally slapped himself for his stupidity. _Of course they were lost! If I hadn't lost the weight of my weapons, I would have drowned instead of potentially dying from my injuries if I wasn't found._

Thumps echoed outside the room, until the door opened to reveal a cheerful little rabbit. His blue eyes landed on the conscious and very much awake peacock. Tai smiled as he hopped towards his mother.

"He's awake!" he exclaimed happily. Tai bounded over to Shen and beamed at the peacock, who merely eyed the rabbit in surprise. The young rabbit took one of Shen's wing and shook it. "Hi, Mr. Peacock! I'm Tai!"

"Er, yes. Nice to meet you too." Shen looked away in slight confusion. _Do they not know who I am?_ he thought. "Now, uh, do you even know who I am?"

Both the mother rabbit and her son shook their heads. Shen's eyes widened a little, but he shook his head and sighed.

"Never mind, it's not important." He shrugged nonchalantly, but the former lord tried not to grin upon the realization. _They do not know. How they stayed clueless about my reputation, I do not know—possibly from the distance this forest could be from Gongmen. Regardless, it is also a very good thing to know. I do not need to be known as the peacock warlord who died by the paws of a rabbit family._

And so, Shen decided to have them remain ignorant of the identity of the peacock they took care of. He let them refer to him as "Mr. Peacock," leaving his identity unknown. It also slipped Shu and Zhao's mind to ask about Shen's cryptic whisper while he was in his comatose state, as well as his story; the rabbits went with the flow of the moment.

Two more days passed by; and Shen started to recover even more. Tai and his older sister, Jun, took to him quite well. They even invited him to their games on some occasions, to which Shen grudgingly joined. Shu and Zhao would also give him food and tend to his injuries. The family of rabbits stayed indoors most of the time, Shen noticed. That was because those two days of recovery was when the snowstorm persisted.

It was during the third day that the storm finally ceased.

Shen remained asleep in the guest room throughout most of the day, wanting some peace to himself. The family of white rabbits went out to forage for some resources, after two days of remaining in their burrow. Little did the little mammals know, their peacock guest was plotting his leave and revenge. Throughout the day, Shen would sometimes awaken and find some necessities throughout the burrow. He snuck some food and a decently large kitchen knife—and other smaller knives—in the sleeves of his silk robe, which Shu had thankfully washed during his time of unconsciousness.

Later in the middle of the night, the family of four were fast asleep. All except for Shen. The albino made sure it was late enough that the rabbits were deep enough in their sleep that they didn't notice him leaving the burrow. Shen crept silently out of the guest room and all the way to the burrow's exit. He wrapped the white blanket—it was the only thing that was large enough to work as a cloak for the peacock, who was larger than the entire rabbit family stacked together—tighter around himself as he opened the door and made his way out into the snow-coated forest, closing the burrow's door soon after.

"It was nice while it lasted," whispered Shen as he looked at the door, before he started through the forest.

The hours passed as Shen traversed the snowy forest. From a distance he definitely fit in with the white, wintry background, as he encountered some travellers passing by without even casting a glance towards the peacock. Shen also took the time to gaze at the star-splattered night sky every now and then—it was one of the few beautiful things he enjoyed looking at during his time in exile.

If there was one thing Shen hated as he made his way deeper into the forest, it was the abundance in bandits. Thankfully the rabbits lived near the edge, where it, for some reason, was safer; but the bandits most likely preferred the deeper parts of the forest to use the thick snow for cover when targeting travellers. On some occasions, he would encounter a small band of wolves or foxes, all of which he killed with ease using the kitchen knives he took. Of course, as he progressed, the measly knives were replaced with some of the blades that the bandits used. Though he killed easily, there were some harder targets.

Shen trekked through the forest, but stopped as his eyes caught sight of a final row of trees; and upon seeing the snow ending at a border he began to expedite his pace.

As Shen speedwalked through the forest, which was now starting to show hints of dawn, an arrow whizzed past him. The white peacock flung one of his daggers towards the source, revealing a dhole staggering out of the bushes; it soon fell on the snow-covered ground, dead. Shen smirked as he made his way towards the form of the canine.

"You dare mess with—"

A multitude of arrows interrupted the peacock, which he dodged effortlessly. Said peacock scoffed as he saw more dholes revealing themselves, each holding a weapon. Though dholes posed less danger compared to the larger and greyer wolves, the number in the current group was increasing drastically. Shen furrowed his brows, formulating a plan in his mind. His eyes narrowed in interest as he saw a dhole, larger than his other comrades, enter his line of sight; and in the large dhole's grasp was a Guan Dao.

_And a relatively decent one at that,_ thought Shen as his blood-red gaze scrutinized the weapon. A sinister smile started to creep up the peacock's dark beak, which caused some of the canines to back away in fright at the avian's timorous behaviour.

"You murdered one of my brethren!" growled the large dhole, baring his fangs at the peacock.

Shen merely shrugged with a nonchalant expression, before his face hardened into a glare.

"And one of your _brethren_ nearly killed me," sneered Shen, adding venom to the dhole's term for his fallen comrade. The peacock's smile eventually returned. "I'll have you know that I am not one to be messed with. Now get out of my way, you mutts!"

The dholes only growled; and eventually the large dhole and his kin began to attack the white avian before them. Shen smirked.

"So be it."

Shen unsheathed his blades and began throwing them with skilled precision; each small, sharp weapon never missing its target as it stabbed dhole by dhole.

"Weak," he muttered smugly under his breath, continuing his onslaught of knives and daggers. The canines kept persisting, despite their gradually decreasing numbers.

A battle cry reverberated throughout the forest as the dholes made way for their larger brother, who had his Guan Dao aimed at Shen's throat. The target only clicked his tongue before avoiding the weapon with a leap, landing on the blade with poised grace soon after. Shen could only smirk tauntingly as the dhole cursed irritatedly. The peacock's smirk remained even as he shot his daggers at the remaining dholes with lightning speed.

The dhole could only look in shock as Shen killed every single one of his companions with deadly skill.

"Y-you monster!" shouted the dhole as he looked at the peacock fearfully, who still stood well-balanced on the thin blade of the Guan Dao.

Even with the lack of his metal claws, Shen could have blinded the canine in front of him if he wanted; his talons already made for naturally lethal weapons. But, for his own enjoyment, he didn't. Shen only grinned sadistically, while his eyes remained cool and calculating. He leaped off the blade and landed softly onto the snow-coated ground.

"You know," began Shen, "if one of your kin had not blindsided me so foolishly, then maybe you and your group would have come out unscathed." He began to circle the dhole in a slow pace. Shen's blood-red gaze traveled across the area. It was a bloodbath—bodies were scattered everywhere, blood stained the once-white snow a deep red, and arrows and weapons littered the ground. The peacock frowned as his gaze landed on a nearby abandoned blanket that once served as his cloak, now speckled with blood spots. "For a commoner's piece of cloth, it was a rather good blanket too," Shen mused to himself.

The dhole spat on the snow in annoyance. Shen's attention returned to the canine. It was then that Shen got an idea.

"I have a proposition," Shen acclaimed, but the dhole only growled.

"After what you just did, I will not accept whatever you have to offer," the dhole hissed.

Shen made a calming gesture with his wings in mock assurance, before chuckling to himself. The dhole's opinions of him were only strengthened. As the mammal's eyes first landed on the peacock and his appearance, he had first thought the albino bird to be a fine and wealthy target for him and his men to assail for money and goods. Then upon the first few deaths of his comrades, he thought of Shen as a monster. But now, Shen wasn't just a monster—no, he was also a madman. Unknowingly, the dhole began to quiver in fear. But, with Shen being so observant, the canine's embarrassing action was exposed when the peacock guffawed. The dhole flattened his ears in shame.

"It's quite all right!" Again, the peacock's wings made a gesture of disparaging assurance. "I'm sure it will fit you quite nicely," said Shen, walking closer towards the dhole. He stuck out a wing in a false welcoming gesture. "You can work under me. Serve me and you will be spared."

The dhole growled and batted the wing away.

"I now serve no purpose without the aid and company of my brothers. We grew up together, and without them I am merely just another useless being with no purpose in this wretched world." Shen's eyes widened maddening excitement.

"But you can work for me. Surely that's purposeful enough?"

The dhole spat on Shen's face, causing the peacock to growl. Yes, trust was definitely going down the hole for the warlord.

"Never!"

Shen ceased the Guan Dao from the dhole, twirled it skillfully, and aimed the blade straight at the dhole's throat. His train rose, revealing the red and black eye-like spots that seemed to glare right into the defeated dhole's soul. The canine's fear intensified the second his eyes landed on the monstrous peacock before him.

"You've had your chance, _mutt_," hissed Shen, eyes narrowed dangerously. His expression calmed as a smile slowly formed on his beak. "But I received some benefits from this fail of a raid," he said, tapping the Guan Dao with one of his primary feathers.

"Just end it, whoever you are."

Shen's eyebrows raised.

"You don't know who I am?" he whispered. It seemed no one in the forest knew who the warlord was, the infamous Lord Shen of the famous Gongmen City, which remained as a popular destination for its magnificent and well-known firework displays. Shen shook his head before leering at the dhole. "Well, it matters not right now; and it was fun while it lasted. Back on topic"—Shen slowly leaned his head forward until he was mere inches apart from the dhole's snout—"your wish is my command."

He thrusted the blade forward.

* * *

Shen wiped the last of his throwing knives clean with the bloodstained blanket, before dropping it back on the ground. The peacock inspected the blade, nodding approvingly and hiding it in one of his sleeves.

"Yes," he said, "this will do nicely. For now, at least."

And with that, the peacock began to hike through the remainder of the forest; Guan Dao still in hand, dripping a trail of blood as Shen walked. Behind the white peacock was a long trail of bloodied snow—the massacre much more grisly.

* * *

**A/N: What do you think of it? Never before have I written such a macabre scene, so I hope you weren't too disturbed by it. Anyway, do feel free to review your thoughts and opinions. See you next time! :D**


	3. Distanced Lands

**A/N: I apologize if you find this chapter boring. In summary, this kind of acts as an introductory chapter to the swans, mainly my OC, Nyx (yes, yes, Shen's eventual waifu, BUT DAT TOPIC IS SOMETHING FAR TOO EARLY TO START DISCUSSING RIGHT NOW)—though the chapter does inform you of her parents too. Hopefully I don't confused you in some parts as well; I'd like to try and make this story as enjoyable of an experience as possible for both me as a writer and for you as the readers (and also me as a reader, as I sometimes tend to emjoy my own work sometimes). Anyway, I hope you don't find this too bad so enjoy, mah folks! Feel free to leave a review! x)**

**Disclaimer: Kung Fu Panda belongs to DreamWorks Animation.**

* * *

Chapter 2 – Distanced Lands

* * *

_Six months later . . ._

* * *

_**Germany, Europe**_

_A few more minutes, hopefully. I really need to get over this._ Black feathers skimmed over the borders of the ornate mirror, while ruby eyes stared at the reflection that stood in the glass. Nyx began to fiddle with her primary feathers in boredom.

"Milady, please hold still!" chided the seamstress as she stitched a patch of silk with flawless grace.

The waterfowl sighed internally; her eyes staring at her clothed figure. She craned her neck to where the sheep worked on her dress.

"I apologize," she said, before keeping her beak shut for the next several minutes. It was only half a year since she reunited with her biological parents, and yet she still wasn't fully accustomed to being used as a living mannequin sometimes.

Things were silent in the room, except for the seamstress's hums and the occasional snapping of thread. It was awkward, at least it was for the black swan behind the mirror. The quietness was interrupted when a knock reverberated from the other side of the room's door, opening to reveal a snowy white swan.

"Sorry to interrupt," began the waterfowl, "But may I speak to my daughter for a moment, please?"

The seamstress nodded and left with a bow, leaving the two swans alone in the room.

"How are things going with the dress?" inquired Lorelei as she eyed the clothing on her daughter.

"I still require some more time adjusting to the . . . newness of having blue blood in my life." Nyx held a piece of the skirt with her wing, emphasizing the costly silk. "Things like these dresses make me feel little, as if I do not deserve any of this. Deep down, I still have the mindset of the farm girl raised for most of her life in an Italian farm"—she dropped the skirt and her white-tipped wings dangled uselessly at her sides—"I really am sorry, Mother. This new life, sometimes it gets to me."

Lorelei looked at her daughter sympathetically, placing a snowy white wing on her daughter's back. She smiled reassuringly as Nyx looked up at her in slight helplessness.

"It's going to be all right, my little Night. You'll get used to it eventually," Lorelei assured. The swan brought her daughter into an embrace. "When being a part of an aristocratic group, we find our struggles in different forms. Like you, I struggle with the dresses. My struggle _and_ peeve with them is when the servants sometimes make my corset a little too tight. Sometimes I wished we wore freer clothing, such as some of the types of robes the Chinese nobility would wear."

Nyx didn't quite understand what her mother meant by the Chinese robes, as she still had a lot to learn about the other countries' different cultures. But, that didn't stop the small smile that crept up the swan's scarlet beak.

"Thank you, Mother."

Lorelei chuckled.

"Anything for my baby girl," she said. The two swans laughed until Lorelei remembered to take out the scroll from one of her skirt pockets. "I almost forgot!" she exclaimed as Nyx eyed at the rolled up parchment in interest.

"If you don't mind my asking, what's that?"

"I'm glad you asked, dear," Lorelei responded as she unraveled the scroll. "This"—she beckoned her daughter to come closer for better inspection of the inscribed symbols on the scroll—"is a scroll from China. A letter, in fact."

"A letter," whispered Nyx, and her mother nodded.

"After many years, we received word from Gongmen—"

"Gongmen?"

Lorelei patted her daughter jokingly.

"Oh hush, you! You know it's rude for a lady to interrupt someone who's speaking."

"I'm sorry, Mother."

The older swan giggled as she looked at her daughter's sad face. She pecked Nyx's cheek and gazed at her jubilantly.

"No need to apologize, dear. I should be the one to say sorry instead. It was immature on my part, but what I just said made for a decent lesson." Lorelei turned back tho the scroll and cleared her throat. "Anyway, Gongmen is a city in the distant Asian country of China, miles and miles away. Though it's far, your father and I have visited the city quite a few times during your years of disappearance. The two former peafowl rulers, Lord Qiang and Lady Mei, were close friends of ours. Unfortunately they passed shortly after the loss of their son, but ever since then Gongmen has been under the rule of three Kung Fu masters—Master Croc, Master Storming Ox, and Master Thundering Rhino."

"Oh."

"And, upon reading this letter, it has come to my attention that we should pay Gongmen a visit. As both a little vacation and to pay our condolences to Master Thundering Rhino, who recently passed away. The details regarding the events that led up to Rhino's death are a little unclear, but hopefully we'll get a full explanation once we reach the city. Anyway, a festival is also coming up in a few months' time, to honour Lord Qiang and Lady Mei's good rule and discoveries," explained Lorelei. "It has also come to my attention—for a while now actually—that you are in desperate need of a break. I know full well the implications that come with involving oneself with the aristocracy, so you really deserve the rest."

"All these months of getting to reacquaint myself with you and Father, you can be too kind sometimes, Mother." Nyx smiled.

"And amazing." The white swan winked.

"Does Father know of this news?" wondered Nyx. Lorelei nodded as she snuck one last glance on the black writing inscribed on the scroll, before rolling it up and tucking it away.

"He does," she confirmed. "In fact, he read the letter first. The head of the house is to be the first to check out something foreign from this household, as a way of security and a display of dominance."

Nyx nodded as she started towards the mirror. She eyed the tight dress on her in slight distaste. It flowed like a river of different silks; each a pattern of red and silver. The black swan preferred cooler colours such as sapphire blue or turquoise, reminding her of the various bodies of water near her adoptive family's farm in Italy, as well as the vast blues of the sky—especially night's darkest blues and blacks.

"Your distaste with the dress is understandable," chimed Lorelei. Her white primary feathers grasped a bright, red patch of silk. "While the seamstress did a magnificent job on the gown, the colours don't seem to fit well with you. You have eyes like rubies, yes, but tranquil colours seem better on your form—to accompany your usually calm and mature, albeit sometimes a little too pragmatic, personality."

"This little time, and you already know me well, Mother," Nyx remarked, to which Lorelei responded with a chuckle. _I don't think I'm mature as she says though, _thought Nyx—she never believed she was.

"A good mother has to know her own child, after all." The white swan released the fabric from her grasp. "And speaking of clothing, I suggest you start packing up. You may pick your robes and dresses, but make sure it's presentable enough. We leave for Gongmen tomorrow morning."

"I'll get to that soon after," Nyx replied with a firm nod.

Lorelei started towards the door, and before leaving she said, "You can take your dress off if you wish. Just leave it on your bed and I'll let the seamstress know; and I'll tell her to scrap the dress's plans. You should be able to take off the dress on your own, as the corset seemed rather loose. I hope you enjoy Gongmen just as much as your father and I do!"

Upon hearing the door click shut, Nyx dashed to her closet. She quickly undressed and replaced the red and silver clothing with an indigo gown—one that required no corset—and folded the unfinished dress on the edge of her bed. She sighed as she took out a bag and began to pack a modest amount of clothing. After several minutes, the black swan's eyes landed on the folded dress on her bed. She lifted a part of it and inspected the elegant embroidery on one of the skirts.

If there was one thing Nyx disagreed with about her mother, it was her mother's rare occasion of using her noble birthright and riches to waste resources when things didn't go as originally intended. Being one who lived most of her life in a farm, Nyx knew of limitations when it came to access to necessities; it helped her think modestly. But, she knew her mother's flaw made up her person; and because Nyx, too, had equally as many imperfections, she accepted her mother's occasional wastefulness as a part of who the older swan was. But, Nyx had to compensate somehow.

_If Mother decides to have this thrown out, I'll just donate the fabrics to a store in the city, _the swan decided, before returning to pack her clothes. She knew not, however, of the dress's significance in the future.

* * *

"Back to Gongmen, huh?" a horse mused. "I think I'm going to sleep like a log for a good two days straight once we make it there."

"Really?" piped up another horse. He swished his tail in excitement as he thought of all the foods he would get to eat. "I'm going to see if the vendors have some new foods for me to try! Hey, maybe I'll even get to buy myself some more tangyuan, like the previous years we've been there."

The gluttonous horse drooled as he began to daydream. His companion snorted in amusement. Both horses conversed some more as they kept a steady trot; the German carriage of swans behind them. After leaving the city two hours ago, they were nearing the country borders; the swans' city resided very near Germany's borders. It was going to be a long trip, from Germany all the way to China.

Meanwhile in the carriage, the noble swans were having a conversation of their own.

"I hope you're not too bothered, dear, but I just had to bring your dress! I'm sure we can share more of our culture with them using an unused dress, and maybe it'll be adapted into something suitable for them."

Nyx smiled at her mother's idea. In the very back of the carriage sat a box, loitering as it contained the unfinished red and silver dress. The black swan never got to give away the dress to a local clothes shop, as her mother had new plans for the scrapped gown. She was, however, pleased to know that it wasn't something wasteful.

"I think it's a great idea. It's better than having it burned in the furnace," she remarked, and Lorelei chuckled awkwardly.

"I really am sorry about those times, Nyx. I try, but old habits die hard."

"And our flaws make up our being, Mother," the black swan assured, placing a gentle wing on her mother's shoulder. "It's who we are."

"You've gained quite a bit of smart words over the past twenty-four years of your life in that Italian farm," Lorelei noted, looking at her daughter proudly.

"I learned from some of the best," replied Nyx, referring to her adoptive parents. Though they were mere farmers, they gained a fair amount of wisdom to share over the years of events they've experienced. The swan smiled as she recalled some of the lessons her adoptive mother taught her. Their parenting played a big role in molding who she was.

"Enjoying the ride, ladies?" a voice piped up. Both female swans perked up and turned to the far corner of the carriage, revealing a male swan.

"Very much, thank you," responded Lorelei as she eyed her husband with mirth. "We ladies had quite a fun talk without your input, Gerard."

"Sorry for leaving you out, Father," laughed Nyx, clasping a wing on her beak to hide her grin.

"Oh, it's fine!" Gerard shook his head. "I'll never understand ladies' talk anyway," he muttered under his breath.

The family of three rode in peace, exchanging the occasional joke or two. Though it was different compared to the conversations Nyx had with her adoptive family, she felt a relaxed comfort from talking so closely with her kin. They spoke of things bird-related, something Nyx never really got to talk about with the family of goats that adopted her.

"Mother?"

"Yes, dear?"

"How long are we staying in Gongmen? And how long is this travel going to be?"

Lorelei placed a primary feather below her chin in thought.

"Well," she began, "I presume we're going to be travelling for several weeks. We may be in a carriage, but the servants pulling this need to take a break as well; your father will be vigilant with their behaviour. And the overall stay—well, around six months, I'm hoping."

Nyx's jaw fell a little in surprise. She blinked as she processed her mother's words.

"H-half a year?"

Lorelei nodded in confirmation. Nyx fidgeted with her wing feathers thoughtfully, a habit she developed when she lived in Italy. Six months was long; it was the same amount of time she got to reacquaint herself with her parents and her German roots. Nevertheless, it wasn't a bad choice, as the journey to China itself might take just as long.

"It is quite long," she mumbled, pressing a primary feather to the tip of her beak.

"Indeed it is." Lorelei looked out the window of the carriage. "At first I felt a little bad for the stallions, but in the end they didn't mind much. They got the full view of the ride _and_ the reward of a vacation in a beautiful country after such a tiring task."

"If China is so far," said Nyx, "then how did you meet the peafowls that once ruled Gongmen?"

Lorelei looked down wistfully, recalling the good times she had with her dear friends in hers and Gerard's days of engagement.

"Ah, yes," she began. "Your father and I met Qiang and Mei in Gongmen long before your egg was laid—nine years, to be exact. And if my memory serves right, Mei's own egg was about to hatch a few weeks after we first met."

"But why were you in China? Isn't it quite far from Germany?"

"Quite, yes. We were originally there to make negotiations and sign alliances with our house, in case of emergencies. We needed a distant network of allies. And because I knew I was marrying your father eventually, I decided to collaborate with him under his name."

_"Gerard!" called a young Lorelei, who was searching for her fiancé in the streets of Gongmen. The twenty-year-old swans decided to explore the beauty of the city before heading to the Tower of the Sacred Flame to sign the alliance with the peafowl rulers. As they made their way deeper into the city, the two waterfowls eventually lost each other in the dense crowd._

_One thing Lorelei failed to notice as she wandered for her beloved, however, was the parting crowd._

_"Gera—" The swan never got to finish as she bumped into an elegantly clothed figure. Lorelei raised her head as her amber eyes landed on the form of a large, azure peacock; he seemed near hers and Gerard's age, possibly older by a few years. Her eyes widened, and she gave an abrupt bow. _

_"Y-Your Majesty! I'm so sorry, I-I didn't know—I was searching for my fiancé as we got lost in the city and—" The peacock halted her stutter with the lift of his wing. Lorelei kept her head down in embarrassment._

_"You can leave her be now, Qiang. She meant no harm," a gentle voice spoke, revealing to be a pink-headed peahen as she strutted in front of her husband. The female peafowl smiled apologetically. "I apologize if my husband came off as intimidating. You must be Lady Lorelei. I'm the Lady Mei of Gongmen City, but please just call me Mei."_

_Lorelei returned the smile with one of her own as she shook the peahen's extended wing. The swan admired the vibrant colours of the peahen's feathers—lotus pink morphing to a light shade of blue. _

_"Pleased to meet you, Mei. I was just looking for my fiancé, Lord Gerard. We got a little lost in the crowd," explained the swan, chuckling awkwardly._

_"We'll help you look for him. Anything for a wonderful esteemed guest, especially if they're from a distant country such as Germany. My husband and I will see to it that you two make it to the one of the Tower's suites to rest; your journey must have been very tiring, travelling for so long from Europe to Asia." The two ladies exchanged some laughs. Mei beckoned Lorelei beside her. "Let's get started."_

_The three avians began their search for Gerard. As they looked through the streets, the crowd eventually dissipated to make room for the Lord and Ladies to walk. It was several moments after searching through a clothing store that they found Gerard, who turned out to be trying out some snacks at a nearby vendor. When the swan noticed his fiancée, he started towards her with some treats in hand._

_"Gerard!" exclaimed Lorelei as she sped towards her beloved. The two royal peafowls stayed behind to give the swans some privacy. Gerard nearly dropped the food he held as his beloved tackled him in relief. Lorelei glared up at him irritatedly. "Where have you been? We've been searching all over the streets for you, and this whole time you were at a vendor's cart near a store!"_

_The swan lord rubbed a wing behind his head in shame. _

_"I'm sorry, dear. And what do you mean by 'we' exactly?"_

_"Us," piped up Mei, who stepped forward until she was in Gerard's direct line of sight. Qiang joined his wife a few moments after._

_"Your Majesties!" Gerard bowed. His fiancée snatched the snacks and eyed them in interest, before taking a bite._

_Mei giggled._

_"Your wife had a similar reaction to us. It's quite all right. As you know I'm Lady Mei—but please just call me Mei—and my husband beside me is Lord Qiang. You must be Lord Gerard, Lorelei's dearly beloved." Mei nodded in acknowledgment as she shook Gerard's wing. The swan nodded back._

"_It's an honour to meet you."_

_Qiang cleared his throat, gaining the attention of his wife and the two noble swans._

_"Well, now that the pleasantries are over, how about we return to the Tower to discuss the negotiations you came here for."_

_The peacock's wife sighed, shaking her head. She faced the swans again, a smile reviving on her beak._

_"I apologize for my husband's straightforwardness"—Mei jabbed Qiang's side, who yelped in pain—"so how about we let you get settled in the Tower first, hm?" she suggested._

_The white swans nodded shyly as they began to walk in step with the peafowls. They felt a little small compared to the royal birds, but they also felt a sense of warm welcoming from the two, despite Lord Qiang's solemnity._

_"Your hospitality will be remembered," thanked Lorelei with a grateful smile. Mei beamed at her new friend._

_"It would be nice to have a fellow sensible lady, even if it's for a short while. We usually have lords in court meetings, and even they can be a bit drab. A change of pace is nice for once," commented Mei. The two female birds laughed and exchange some more words, having found a new ground of friendship._

"I'll admit, that was an embarrassing first meeting. Especially when bumping into someone of royal status," uttered Nyx.

"Definitely, but it was hilarious to see your father act so shy and awkward with Mei and Qiang," Lorelei admitted, giggling as Gerard turned red in embarrassment.

"But Lady Mei was really the one to break the ice, right?"

"Definitely. However, as we got to know Qiang more and more, he can be just as pleasant as Mei. It's no wonder Gongmen adored their two former rulers."

"So you and the royals bonded in such a short time?"

Nyx's mother responded with a nod.

"We even got to see their son hatch." At her mother's words, Nyx looked at the older swan in shock. In just a few weeks, her parents were able bond closely enough to Gongmen's rulers to watch such a special and private moment occur.

_"You invented fireworks?" Gerard repeated._

_"We did," replied Qiang, his crest lifting in pride. "My Mei worked on the colours, while I made the formula for the powders."_

_While the males got to converse with one another, the females were having a chat of their own. On the other end of the guest suite was where Lorelei sat with Mei, who had her egg hugged to her chest._

_"So," began Mei, "when do you plan on having children of your own?"_

_Lorelei blushed._

_"W-we don't know yet. Maybe in the future, once negotiations and stability is official in our city," replied the swan. Lorelei cleared her throat. "And what about your egg?"_

_Mei glanced at her egg lovingly._

"_He's doing well. The doctor said he'll hatch very soon." The peahen looked at her friend in joy. "Oh, Lorelei! You don't know how much happiness having this egg close brings me! I'm sure you'll know of the feeling once you have one to call your own."_

"_Maybe," the swan mused as she stared at the egg's pristine shell. "I heard we birds would kill just for our children to make it safely into the world."_

"_While I am a little against the deaths of others, I do think that can be the case for us—and some others. Lots of bird mothers can be very overprotective, but that also applies to other mothers." Mei wrapped her wings around her egg protectively to emphasize her point._

"_Back to the egg, you referred to it as 'he'. And why is that?"_

"_I have a feeling it's a boy. Not because males are preferable heirs to a throne, but because of my wanting to see a little Qiang running around the courtyard," Mei answered, stroking the shell lovingly. "He'll be a beautiful little one, I just know it."_

_Two weeks had passed, and the swans remained as well respected guests in Gongmen, not long after they earned the friendship and trust of its beloved rulers and the city's allegiance. The waterfowl couple decided to extend their stay in the city to get to know their new friends a little more, so the four birds got to bond quite a bit during their spare time. As each day passed, the bonds of the noble birds grew stronger as each word was exchanged. And, the time grew near until it was finally the day for Mei's egg to hatch._

"_He's hatching, Lorelei, he's hatching! Alert my husband, oh, and you can alert Gerard too. The day has finally come! Oh please, Lorelei, bring Qiang here, and fast!" requested Mei as she stared at the cracks appearing on the egg in wonder. Mei's fellow female friend nodded and left in haste. Lorelei ran down the steps of the tower, until finally reaching the fireworks workshop, where she presumed Qiang and her fiancé would be. The swan knocked to announce her presence and entered as calmly as she could. Gerard smiled as his beloved pecked him on the cheek in greeting, which he happily returned. Qiang smiled as he embraced his friend._

"_Lorelei! What brings you here?" the peacock wondered. A smile emerged from the swan's beak as she prepared to reveal the news._

"_It's your egg, Qiang. It's hatching right now! I came here to bring you and Gerard to the royal quarters where Mei is with the egg. Oh, it's really hatching!" announced Lorelei as she beamed at the surprised peacock. Qiang shook his head and accompanied the two waterfowls._

_Hours had passed, all of which consisted of Mei drumming her primary feathers in anticipation and Qiang's worried pacing, as well as the growing cracks on the shell. The two swans reassured their friends as they too waited for the chick to enter the world, but eventually they left the chambers to give their friends some privacy. Soon after Qiang and the swans joined Mei, a midwife was ordered into the chambers to help with the hatching. After a long time of waiting, chirps were heard as the swans reentered the room. Amber and green eyes softened as they watched a teary-eyed Mei cradle her now calm chick._

_Lorelei moved closer towards her friend to get a closer look at the peachick. She was surprised to find not just any ordinary chick, but one with down as soft and white as a fresh winter flurry. The swan's wonder grew as the chick's eyes cracked open a tiny bit, but enough for Lorelei to make out the pools of red behind the lids of his eyes. _

"_He's beautiful," Mei whispered as she looked at her son with maternal eyes. Her husband looked at the chick with just as much love, but with a noticeable hint of worry. Lorelei looked at Qiang confusedly. The two shared a glance and returned to the chick tucked in Mei's wings._

"_Are you all right, Qiang?" asked Lorelei as her amber gaze returned to the azure peacock. Gerard nodded in agreement as he saw his friend's worry show a little more._

"_He may not be as loved as the other peacocks in the future," answered Qiang. He gestured towards the white form of his son. "As you can see, he's very different."_

_Gerard frowned and said, "But what's wrong with that? He looks absolutely beautiful—like fresh snow."_

_Qiang nodded._

"_Exactly. As you can see, his feathers are pure white. While we have never seen this before, poorly coloured feathers are highly looked down upon in our race. Without the vibrancy of his feathers, I'm afraid my son may never find a peahen who would take to him."_

"_Then what do you suggest we do?" piped up Mei, who looked at her husband indignantly. "Abandon him? Send him to an orphanage far away? All because of his uniqueness?"_

_Qiang shook his head frantically, making calming gestures in attempt to placate his furious wife._

"_You know that's now what I mean, dear! It's just, maybe we should let the fates decide."_

_Mei sighed, before finally nodding. Lorelei looked at her friend sympathetically, placing a reassuring wing on the peahen's shoulder. Everyone was silent until Qiang expressed his idea._

"_How about we call in the soothsayer? Maybe she'll know what to do." Lorelei thought over her friend's suggestion. During the swans' stay in Gongmen, they got to acquaint themselves with the court soothsayer, a sagely goat who showed just as much kindness to them as the royal peafowls did._

"_We could have her as our son's nanny," chimed Mei. She looked at her husband in agreement. "You know how busy we can be sometimes, Qiang. She could help raise him, and with her foresight and immense wisdom she could keep an eye on his safety as well."_

"_Then it's settled."_

_The swans shared a look as they remained silent during their friends' exchange. It was only until Mei and Qiang started discussing names that Lorelei started to speak._

"_How about something relating to your son's colour? To represent how special he is. Something pure, something—" _

"_Godly!" finished Qiang. His wife and friends looked at him oddly. The peacock chuckled awkwardly. Sometimes even the usually solemn Lord Qiang had some surprising traits about him. "Okay, I'll tune it down."_

"_Shen it is then," whispered Mei as she looked at her son lovingly. All heads turned to the mother in confusion. "He's divine, no? White usually associates with what Qiang just said."_

"_Divinity," Gerard realized. "His name means many things relating to a divine being—"_

"_And so does his colouring!" finished Lorelei as she eyed the peachick's snowy plumage. The swan's eyes softened as the chick yawned. Lorelei cooed at the sight "He's simply magnificent, Mei—and ridiculously adorable!"_

"_I agree," the peahen replied, gazing at Shen warmly. She began to rock her child back and forth, humming a soft lullaby. Shen gurgled happily._

"_If this is what it feels like to have a child, then I definitely can't wait to have one of my own," Lorelei muttered as her amber eyes watched the silent but beautiful interaction between mother and child._

"We visited them frequently," the female swan ended. "We were even considered Shen's aunt and uncle. However, the visits stopped two years before your egg was laid—that was when your father and I decided it was time to try for a child. And three years after your disappearance, we decided to continue going to Gongmen on occasion, as a way to deal with the grief we felt upon losing you."

Nyx looked down sadly. She didn't know she was one of the main reasons for her parents' constant trips during her life in Italy. Lorelei patted Nyx's wing reassuringly.

"It's not your fault, sweetie. We're just glad you're with us again, safe and sound." The older swan looked at the window in surprise. "Will you look at that, it's already night! We should get some sleep soon. I'll let Gerard inform the stallions."

Nyx nodded.

"All right."

* * *

Nyx groaned groggily as she got up from where she sat, once asleep. She rubbed her eyes as her vision started to adjust to the darkness. The swan made sure not to wake her mother, who slept just a few inches away; her steps were silent as she crept out of the carriage and snuck past the sleeping horses.

The black avian inhaled deeply as she took in the calm ambience of the night. Crickets chirped in harmony, like an orchestra of the night; the swishing of the long grass made for a good accompaniment. Nyx's ruby gaze landed on the silvery moon shining up above. It glowed majestically, like a beautiful lantern that whispered of myths and tales for the new generation. The night sky was one of the things Nyx enjoyed looking at from her window in the farmhouse. When she was little, she always hoped her biological parents gazed at the starry canvas at the same time she did. The swan sighed.

"I hope things go well," she muttered, referring to the safety of everyone as the journey continued. During her years of living among Italy's common folk, despite mostly being secluded in the rural parts of the country, Nyx knew full well of the dangers in travelling. It wasn't just the natural causes like storms and whatnot, but also of bandits along the way. The swan's adoptive parents recounted tales of thieves and bandits who decided to raid the villages near the farm, and Nyx was nought but a twelve-year-old cygnet when she was told of this.

After several more moments of meditating in the silence of the night, the swan reentered the carriage and returned to her rest.

* * *

_**China, Asia**_

"Welcome to China!" announced Lorelei, mainly to her daughter.

Nyx looked out the window in slight interest. It looked the same as the other lands she had seen during the past several weeks of travelling, so she didn't know which was China's land and which was Russia's; when entering the Asian country, the swans usually crossed through Russia instead of the other countries until they found the small opening to the Chinese lands. Though Nyx didn't know which land was which, she trusted her mother's judgment, who had visited the country several times prior to the black swan's return. Nyx slumped back into her seat as she turned to her mother. Sometimes she wished she had paid attention to her geography lessons, but there was no physical border present so Nyx could care less.

"When are we arriving into Gongmen, Mother?"

Lorelei simply smiled in anticipation.

"In a few days, if things keep going smoothly like this." Indeed, the travel was smooth and very much safe. Nyx couldn't complain, because she preferred safer travels over danger-filled ones. That was the bit of blue blood in her—the safe over the dangerous, despite knowing the risks of what she did during her farming days.

_A few more days. Just hold on,_ Nyx assured herself as she nibbled on one of her primary feathers.

"Please don't do that, dear," scolded Lorelei. "Your feathers will be all ruined if you keep using that strong beak of yours to bend it."

"Habits," replied Nyx with a small chuckle. _China, here comes the _

_German swans from far, far away._

Some time passed in silence, until it urged Nyx to find some way to ease her growing boredom. The black swan looked out the window again, this time letting out a silent gasp as she gazed at the scene with widened eyes. The snow was starting to disappear, replaced with some of the greenest grassed Nyx had ever seen. It almost reminded her of the farm, but if possible, even greener! A smile graced the young swan's beak.

Weeks after an uneventful ride in the carriage, Nyx finally had something nice to experience with her eyes. Maybe the trip wouldn't be as bad next time if she went outside with the horses. Minutes later, her eyes shut for a little nap.

* * *

"Glad you haven't died of boredom yet, ma'am," remarked one of the horses, swaying his tail in a relaxed manner.

"Me too," was all Nyx said, trying to walk at the same pace as the two stallions.

A few more days passed, and soon they would reach Gongmen. Upon seeing the rebuilt Tower of the Sacred Flame in the distance, Nyx decided to take the more scenic method of travelling just out of pure curiosity—walking. At first Gerard and Lorelei were worried for their daughter's safety, but in the end they surrendered upon seeing the senbon needles in Nyx's arsenal—her sleeves and dress pockets. The black swan had taken an interest to the needles upon seeing her adoptive father bring one home from a village with Japanese folk one time. She took some with her before bidding the farmers goodbye, and shortly after regaining her noble status she ordered some more needles imported straight from Japan. While Nyx was far from a professional when it came to its use, she liked to keep it with her in case of emergencies; she coated some of the needles in an adhesive poison before leaving the city—she also brought an equal amount of antidotes to give to the victim, as she had no wish to be labelled a murderer.

The waterfowl kept looking at the distant tower, as well as the silhouettes of numerous buildings surrounding it.

"Getting excited, are we? I am too. You should try the food they sell, it's really delicious! My stomach could marry the snacks Gongmen sells!" chirped the gluttonous horse, licking his lips excitedly.

Nyx chuckled, before nodding in consideration.

"I hope the experience is as good as you say," she replied. The horse began a conversation with Nyx, who listened and commented in interest. Both the swan and stallion didn't notice the ever-decreasing distance between Gongmen and themselves.

"Nyx, sweetie!" called Lorelei, beckoning her daughter as her head peeked from the window. "Get back in the carriage!"

Nyx complied willingly, having grown a little tired from the trek. She joined her parents in the carriage, before bidding the horse a temporary farewell. The black swan slumped on her seat with a relaxed sigh. But, before she could fully relax herself, the horses sped into a gallop. Nyx let out a squeak as the ride became a little bumpy; fortunately things smoothened out a little as the horses progressed. Eventually the swan grew accustomed to the speed of the ride.

"Good choice," Lorelei said, "because we'll be doing some more walking soon."

"Really, Mother?"

The white swan nodded her head. She then craned her long neck to peak outside the window, but kept her attention focused on her daughter.

"Yes, because we're just about to enter Gongmen!" Lorelei opened the window and pointed outside.

Like her mother, Nyx adjusted her neck for a better view, and gasped. The lights could be seen from the growing darkness of dusk, as well as the increasing activity of civilians. Gongmen was definitely beautiful, and the swan couldn't wait to explore the city. Nyx brought her head back into the carriage, wings clutching her mother's in slight nervousness. She may have been exposed to the city her parents governed in Germany, but that was all—she lived most of her life in rural Italy, the largest patches of civilization being the villages where she would sell the crops. Never had she been taken to a meeting that required travelling, and despite the stay in Gongmen being a vacation, it was Nyx's first time going so far in the distance and staying in a city so big. Needless to say, Nyx was a little overwhelmed.

"It's all right, sweetie. We'll rest first, then you can stick with your father and me as we walk through the city," Lorelei reassured, squeezing her daughter's wing.

Nyx nodded. Weeks prior, she had discovered of the benefits her family had when it came to their friendship with the late Lord Qiang and Lady Mei. They got their own room—formerly known as the guest room where Gerard and Lorelei used in their first visit, but as the trips grew more frequent the Lord and Lady declared as the swans' own special room. The room was on one of the top floors, directly below the royal chambers, so a great view of the city was guaranteed. With the tower recently finished being rebuilt, however, the room may look a little different.

"I'll be waiting for what the city has in stall for us then," voiced Nyx.

"Did you know the path we just took here is seldom used? Usually they take the boat until they reach Gongmen's ports, but because of the carriage we have our transportation is a little different. It's why we've encountered so few dangers along the way. Qiang informed us of this path many years ago when we grew tired of the boats. Very little know of this path, so it's a great route to take," Lorelei informed her daughter, who listened in interest. "We should take the boats next time, to see if you like or not and to add to your experiences."

_So Mother and Father know a lot more about the land here. It's a relieving thought for them to accompany me for the first time here,_ thought Nyx.

"You'll find lots of good things in Gongmen, dear. That I know for certain," piped up Gerard, smiling encouragingly.

The swans enjoyed the view as the city drew nearer, as well as the darkening night.


	4. In Gongmen

**A/N: Ah yes, now that I think about it, this story will be rather descriptive (both something I realized and a warning to you readers). Because it's intended to be lengthy, I'm going to go into quite some detail for the story. So, tread carefully! Also, I am quite annoyed by the cover setup of the story; the cover image keeps glitching in my screen and/or reverting back to my profile pic for some reason, which has never happened with my only other covered story. Thankfully I'm not alone with this problem, as I've seen some forum pages about it, but if this keeps up I'll just leave the story with no cover image (unfortunately, being the slight perfectionist I am) . . . or I may make a new cover for it which will hopefully remain . . . unless the cover image is functioning normally in your guys' screens. Also hoping this chapter has a very small amount of errors. Anyway, I hope you find this chapter alright!**

**Disclaimer: Kung Fu Panda belongs to DreamWorks Animation.**

* * *

Chapter 3 – In Gongmen

* * *

"Unfortunately we have to exit the carriage. The streets can be quite crowded so the carriage won't be able to fit, but your father asked the stallions to park it somewhere more secluded before they are fully dismissed for the half-year we're here," Lorelei explained to her daughter. "We'll have to walk through the remainder of the city if we are to reach the Tower."

Nyx nodded. Before she exited the vehicle, however, her mother plucked a bent feather on her wing—one of the feathers she had worn relentlessly with her beak. The black swan yelped and caressed the spot where the feather was plucked. Lorelei clicked her tongue as she grasped the worn feather.

"As a finishing touch. You absolutely must look presentable, dear. This is your first time in a divine city, and one of China's most at that," she chided, while the younger swan sighed. Lorelei inspected her daughter one last time, before nodding approvingly. The older swan held out her wing towards her daughter as she fully exited the carriage. "Come."

The black swan took hold of her mother's wing, bringing herself out of the carriage; her father already waiting for the two females with the bags in hand. When they were ready, the three began their trek all the way to the newly rebuilt Tower of the Sacred Flame. According to her mother, the tower had been recently reconstructed after having been felled; it was mostly finished almost four weeks before the letter was received, with some new additions that were never a part of the tower coming soon. Reconstruction was fast with the help of the Kung Fu warriors who aided the reclaiming of Gongmen. The overall story of Shen's rule still remained unknown to Nyx, while her parents were vaguely aware of it.

The tower was not the only new thing that caught the public's interest. Eyes stared at the noble swans in curiosity, especially Nyx and her uniquely coloured feathers.

"Look at the bird, Mama!" exclaimed a kitten as she pointed towards Nyx; her voice within the swan's hearing range. "She's not like the white ones!"

"Hush now! You're being rude!" scolded the kitten's mother, before tugging her daughter away from the swans. The cat sent an apologetic look to the noble black swan, who merely nodded in acknowledgment.

Nyx was not new to the kind of attention she was receiving. As black swans naturally lived in the southern lands, it was strange for one to be living or even to be seen in the higher parts of the world. Some also didn't know of the existence of other black swans, which served as another reason for the people's curiosity. Her two very much pearl-feathered parents didn't make things better either. Nyx was born differently, receiving her odd colouration from her great-grandmother, her mother assumed; her great-grandmother was also a black swan, but she fully hailed from the Oceanian region. That was also the case in Italy when Nyx visited the villages, but as time progressed she stopped minding the unwanted attention and simply accepted it as the norm.

"It's fine," whispered Gerard, who also noticed the received attention. Lorelei nodded, ushering her daughter faster.

Ignoring all the stares, Nyx did find Gongmen beautiful. The streets had an aura of liveliness—if the people's focus was on their everyday tasks. But the Tower of the Sacred Flame was what really drew the swan's eye; its details becoming much clearer as they were nearing their destination. Though night had just started its cyclical routine, the faint glow of the lights indoors made the streets look majestic for an area of commoners—Nyx could only imagine what midnight in the city looked like, barer streets and soft lights and the dark buildings being her only company.

"This place looks more enchanting than I thought," whispered Nyx as she glanced at her mother.

Lorelei felt a smirk crawl up her beak in excitement.

"You should see the Tower—well, the newly rebuilt one. I'm sure it will look even better but also attaining the original Tower's look." A small smile appeared on Nyx's beak at her mother's words.

"Then I can't wait." Nyx's ruby eyes were settled on the nearing tower.

Upon reaching the Tower of the Sacred Flame, the swans were met with several tense antelope guards, as well as some goose servants. Gerard held up his wings as a sign of peace.

"We don't mean any harm," Gerard proclaimed. "We, Lord Gerard and Lady Lorelei of the far country of German, would like to move on to another stay in your beautiful city in peace."

"And what of the dark one?" a guard inquired, referring to Nyx. Lorelei flinched at the term, but her daughter squeezed her wing with a reassuring look.

"She's with us," said Gerard. "Lady Nyx here is our long lost daughter, recently returned and is to accompany us in our half-year rest and to pay her condolences to the late Master Thundering Rhino."

Nyx turned her head to face the antelopes, nodding firmly. There was a noticeable flinch in some of the guards as the swan's ruby gaze remained on them. The reason for that, Nyx didn't know. She shrugged it off and moved on.

"Coming through!" came a voice. The swans turned to see Master Croc emerging from the cluster of guards, who looked at the family in interest.

"Good evening, Master Croc," greeted Lorelei, sending a courteous bow towards the reptile.

"Lady Lorelei! Nice to see you and your husband again!" the crocodile replied.

"As with you, Master," replied Gerard, smiling warmly. The swan scanned the courtyard. "Um, if you don't mind my asking, where is Master Storming Ox?"

"Who's that?" a voice asked cautiously, revealing to be Master Ox. He pointed towards Nyx, suspicious of the new waterfowl. The black swan merely kept her head down. "Well?"

"That would be our daughter, Lady Nyx," answered Lorelei. She made gestures to her daughter with her wing. "You may lift your head now, dear," she whispered to Nyx.

The younger swan complied, revealing her ruby-coloured eyes as she looked at the two Kung Fu masters. Nyx dipped her form into a bow.

"Master Croc, Master Storming Ox," she greeted, recalling her excruciating courtesy lessons, "I am humbled to be in your presence."

"She does not look like your kid," remarked Ox, still suspicious. Lorelei looked a little peeved.

"But she is definitely mine," huffed the white swan. "After many years of separation, she came back to us half a year ago." Nyx looked at her mother, a touch concerned for Lorelei's growing anger. "This is her first time in China, and your first time seeing her," Lorelei rebuked.

"I apologize on Master Ox's behalf," Croc spoke. "Even though it's been several months since . . . the incident, Gongmen is still a little wary."

"That I am aware of, as stated in the letter we received. My family and I have also come to pay our respects to Master Thundering Rhino; and give my daughter a deserved break after her stressful assimilation into nobility," explained Lorelei.

The two masters nodded, dismissing the guards back to their original posts. They then beckoned the swans to follow them. Nyx walked closely to her parents, her form relaxing more as she grew used to her surroundings. As the swans entered the Tower, Nyx gazed at the designs; each colour and pattern newly painted and fresh. She began falling behind as her focus remained somewhere else, before expediting her pace. While her parents walked far ahead with the masters, Nyx's eyes spotted a green tail from one of the turns in a floor, before vanishing around the corner. The swan tilted her head in curiosity, but she didn't give into the urge and followed her parents. A few more minutes passed until they reached one of the top floors.

"Nyx," spoke Lorelei, tapping her daughter for her attention. The black swan snapped out of her state and looked at her mother questioningly. Lorelei smiled. "We're here."

The swans entered the room, revelling in some of the new designs. Because of the original tower's destruction, the newly rebuilt one had several differences, but pertained to most of the first's looks. Nyx was new to it, so she didn't notice the changes. While it was beautiful, Nyx knew she had to reside somewhere else the moment her eyes landed on the single bed in the room. Lorelei looked at her daughter apologetically.

"This room looks almost exactly like the old one," she piped up, but her amber eyes were fixated on the two masters outside the doorway. "But, is it all right if we request a spare room for my daughter? I'm sure she'd like the privacy of a chamber of her own."

"We're not your servants," Ox mumbled irritatedly, but his voice went unheard when Croc spoke.

"Of course. We'll have a servant escort your daughter to the nearest guest chambers."

Nyx nodded gratefully before saying, "Thank you, sir."

Lorelei guided her daughter back out. Gerard handed his daughter her bag of necessities when they reached the doorway.

"We'll wait here with you until your guide comes," Lorelei said. "If you need us, just come visit our room anytime, okay?"

Nyx smiled gently.

"I will. Thank you, Mother." The black swan turned to her father. "And thank you, Father."

"For the safety of our little girl." Gerard winked.

By the time the guide arrived, Nyx bid her parents goodnight and followed the servant to her chambers. Upon entering the room, the swan quickly changed into her nightgown and landed on the bed in relief. She fell into a dreamless state soon after.

* * *

"Hey, guys!" greeted Viper as she entered the shared room. She was greeted with nods and calls as she slithered to her bed, which sat between Tigress and Crane's beds.

"Welcome back," replied Mantis. "Any more new things you saw?"

"Well . . ." It had only been a week since she, Po, and the rest of the Furious Five arrived in the city to help with the upcoming festival—as a form of repaying the trouble caused during Shen's tyranny, despite already playing a role in rebuilding the Tower. Unfortunately Master Shifu had to stay to watch over the Jade Palace, so it was only the Furious Five and the Dragon Warrior. So far they checked out all of the main attractions the city had to offer, and a few more. On her way to the guest room, something did catch her eye. "I did see some swans walking with the masters," she answered.

"More guests?" Po asked excitedly. He began to perform some kicks and punches playfully. "What do you think they came here for? Maybe they'd like to see our super-awesome Kung Fu!"

"And have them mistake you for a random performer instead? I don't think so," joked Monkey. The others snickered, while Tigress shook her head with a sigh.

"I don't think that's what they came here for, Po. A festival is nearing, after all," supplied Viper.

"I think they're the German swans some of the elders mentioned back at the tea house. They were known to visit Gongmen frequently," Tigress said. "By frequently, it's not much, as Germany is quite a ways from China. Their last visit, however, was four years ago."

"Ooh, you mean the swans who were really close friends with Shen's parents?" Po realized, and Tigress nodded.

"Lord Gerard and Lady Lorelei were their names, if memory serves right," Viper commented.

"They're highly respected among the citizens, so I suggest we treat them fairly," advised Tigress.

"Yeah, but we should get some sleep first. I'd like to sleep off all those dumplings I had today." And with that Po settled onto his bed. The Furious Five chuckled at their friend.

"I think we should refrain from feeding him more, or we'll be broke before the festival arrives," suggested Mantis.

"Well, I agree. With Po, I mean. We should get some rest, it is getting late," concurred Crane, placing his rice hat on a night stand. The others eventually agreed, preparing for another new day.

* * *

Nyx yawned as she began to wake up, eyes slowly opening to process the small stream of daylight that snuck into the room. The swan stretched her wings as she began to dress herself with slightly sluggish movements. Nyx knew she had to give it away soon, so she wore the red and silver dress—with the only unfinished part being the embroidery—that sat in the corner of the room; she would have to stop by a clothes shop first once she made it to the streets. Nyx entered the balcony, blinking from the onslaught of sunlight. Her eyes grazed the city below, which was already bustling with activity. White primary feathers tried to caress the distant clouds, as if they were tiny, white butterflies fluttering within reach. Nyx dropped her wing with a sigh, smiling at the beautiful morning sky. The avian wanted to go for a morning flight—flying in the morning was an activity she used to do back at the farm—but she decided against it and visited her parents' chambers instead. However, all she found was a note for the dining hall's location on one of the room's doors.

Upon reaching the entryway of the hall, Nyx hid behind the entrance when she heard the sound of chattering voices; several of which were unfamiliar. The black swan craned her head to scrutinize the source. Her ruby gaze landed on five figures—a snake, a mantis, a monkey, a crane, and a tigress. Nyx's focus was fixated on them as she paid a small amount of attention to their conversation with her parents. It was immediately realized just how keen the five strangers were, as they quickly noticed the hiding swan's presence. The tigress flung a chopstick towards Nyx's direction with quick precision, sticking to the wall as if it were an arrow. Nyx let out a muffled squeak, revealing herself to the group.

"Good morning, dear," Lorelei greeted her daughter casually, smiling pleasantly. "I hope you had a good night's rest?"

Nyx nodded a little shakily, still surprised by the tigress's response to her presence. Though she was in awe, a part of her was jealous for wishing to have the same prowess with her senbon needles. She shook the feeling off.

"We didn't know you had another guest with you," said the snake. "I only saw you and your husband following the masters last night."

Ah, thought Nyx in realization, so that's the owner of the tail I saw.

The reptile looked kind and pleasant, different from the intimidating aura Nyx felt from the feline. She sent an apologetic look towards Nyx as she slithered nearer.

"I'm sorry for the way our friend acted. She's just like that sometimes."

Nyx shook her head, wings waving in protest.

"No, no, it's quite all right. I was just acting cautious back there. I thought my parents and I were the only guests in the Tower."

"Ah, then you're Lord Gerard and Lady Lorelei's daughter. I thought it was only the two of them, but I guess I was wrong. It's a pleasure to meet you, I'm Master Viper." The snake, Viper, lifted her tail in greeting, which Nyx shook.

"Likewise. I'm Lady Nyx, But please just call me Nyx," replied the swan.

"Then you may also call me Viper. I don't wish to have any one-sided formalities right now." Nyx chuckled. Viper coiled her tail around the swan's primary feathers, dragging them both towards her friends. Gerard and Lorelei merely smiled at the warm interaction. "This is Mantis"—Viper gestured towards the insect on the table—"This is Monkey . . ."

The reptile explained their unique styles of Kung Fu, as well as introducing the rest of the Furious Five in a similar way as Mantis; it was the same with Monkey, as well as Crane, until the two reached Tigress.

Nyx's ruby eyes locked with Tigress's amber ones.

"And this is Tigress," ended Viper. "She may seem a little intimidating at first but don't worry, she only wants our best interests."

The swan bowed, while Tigress nodded curtly.

"I apologize for the earlier treatment," said the feline, her expression remaining stoic. She stuck out a paw in reconciliation. "But I would like to start off on a better note. It's a pleasure to be acquainted with the daughter of highly esteemed guests."

Nyx shook Tigress's wing, a smile growing on her beak.

"And it's a pleasure for me too, Master Tigress."

"Well, now that we've got the pleasantries out of the way," piped up Lorelei, "how about we go for a tour around the city, Nyx? Once you're done with your breakfast, of course."

The black swan agreed as a servant placed her breakfast in front of her seat. As Nyx was about to lift the spoon of vegetables to her beak—she had yet to learn how to use chopsticks—a quake caused the soup on the spoon to spill, dripping back into the bowl. The swan frowned. Every head turned to the cause of the tremor, only to find a panda trudging through the entrance of the dining hall.

"That would be Po," whispered Viper to the swan, letting loose a small giggle as the panda groggily took a seat. "Though he's publicly known as the famous Dragon Warrior, he's anything but a ferocious person."

"Uhh, one large dumpling, please," he requested a servant, who immediately scurried to the kitchens.

"Err, I think you've had just about enough dumplings by now," noted Monkey.

"I just thought of the first thing that came to mind for breakfast," explained Po. It was only a few short moments later that he realized the swans—each dressed in uniquely differently designed European clothing—seated across the table. His green eyes widened as he jumped back a little. "Ooh! It's the swans!"

"We know," some of the Furious Five answered in unison. Po's gaze landed on the black swan directly across from him; her ruby eyes looking at him in interest. The panda's gaze eventually moved on the the pearly white swans.

"Good day, sir. And you too, ma'am," introduced Po, smiling awkwardly.

Lorelei giggled.

"As with you, Dragon Warrior." The swan turned to her daughter with a beam. "I like him already," she whispered amusedly.

"Uh, just Po is fine," said the panda.

"And Lorelei is fine, too."

"My thoughts are just as my wife says," chimed Gerard, nodding with a smile. The panda reached his paw across the table in greeting, but only made it halfway. Both Lorelei and Gerard chuckled as they too extended their wing to shake the Panda's outstretched paw. Po began to warm up to the swans, before his gaze landed on Nyx.

"And you . . ." Po trailed off.

"Nyx," the swan supplied, extending her wing for a shake. Po nodded and shook the white-tipped wing happily. During the past six months she was in Germany, Nyx was taught to be known as someone of high status. But after the panda's very casual introduction, and with her highly esteemed parents at that, she was very much fine with just being referred to as herself. A small smile crept up the black swan's beak.

"So, are you their distant relative? Because you seem like it. Hey, you should check out Gongmen with us! It'll be lots of fun!"

"Daughter, actually," corrected Nyx. "And the offer would be very nice, if my mother and father don't mind."

Po's cheeks heated up in embarrassment, mumbling a silent, "Oh."

"We don't mind one bit," said Gerard. He turned to his slightly crestfallen wife, nudging her soothingly. The older swan smiled. "Right, dear?"

Lorelei sighed. Though she had been so excited to show her daughter around, Po's offer was a good opportunity for the younger swan to make friends. Ever since returning to Germany, Nyx never really got to have a lasting friendship, except for the acquaintances she'd made out of the maids. She was also known to have only three friends in Italy, minus her adoptive parents, Lorelei recalled. The white swan nodded her dainty head in surrender.

"Very well. She can go," responded Lorelei. "But only if you bring her back to the Tower safe and sound by the time you're done."

"Well, while the tour would most likely take a few days until we see all of the sites," mentioned Viper, "we'll protect her the best we could!"

"I put my trust on you, good warriors," Lorelei sighed. She then made hurried motions towards her daughter. "Now finish your breakfast, dear. You have a lot to cover today."

"You too, Po—" Tigress stopped as she watched Po burp loudly. She mumbled to herself in annoyance. "Of course he's done."

Nyx nodded, taking a sip of her vegetable soup.

* * *

"Wait!" called Lorelei, catching up to her daughter and the group of warriors. "I have to give you something first."

Nyx looked at the group in permission, who nodded as the swans walked to a more isolated spot.

"Is everything all right, Mother?" questioned Nyx, looking at the white swan a little worriedly.

"Oh, nothing's wrong, dear!" Lorelei nodded her head. "I just came to give you something before you leave."

The older swan took out some head accessories from her pocket, a pair of feathered clips to be exact. It consisted of white plumes, so pure and white as snow. The feathers of each clip were held together by a single sapphire blue ribbon, one end trailing down a third of the neck if Nyx were to wear it. Nyx took an interest in the accessories on her mother's wings.

"Here," said Lorelei, placing the clips on her daughter's wings. "Years ago, Lady Mei gave this to me as a birthday present. I want you to have it, and if Mei were here I'm sure she would love to have you take ownership of these. Besides, I have a feeling you'll need it."

"Thank you," Nyx whispered gratefully, eyes glazed over in joy and gratitude. She beamed at her mother and pulled her into a hug. "I'll use it well."

The black swan tucked the clips into one of her pockets. Lorelei gestured for Nyx's dismissal.

"Stay safe, sweetie." Nyx nodded and joined the group of Kung Fu masters.

"So," began Po, "where shall we start?"

"The nearest clothing store," the swan answered almost immediately. Everyone looked at the avian questioningly. Nyx lifted the incomplete portion of her skirt.

"I am to give this away anyway," she reasoned. "And I'd like to try the robes your folk wear. My mother mentioned some of the comfortably loose designs."

"While some are loose," piped up Viper, "some can be tight."

"Then I'll take the looser ones." Nyx nodded. "I really would like to live without a corset again."

Viper chuckled and began to drag the black swan with her.

"Very well. I know quite a lot of the nearby shops with some great clothes fabrics," the snake said. While Tigress was one of the only two females in the Furious Five, she was not particularly into fashion, so she walked behind to talk with the boys. It didn't take long for the group to reach their destination, led by Viper.

Upon entering the shop, Nyx's eyes landed on several robes in the females' section. She kept inspecting the designs, until a particular one caught her eye. On a display in the very back of the shop sat a velvety blue hanfu, with an aqua-coloured inner skirt; the sleeves and neckline ending in a swirly, gold pattern. The outfit was secured with a blue and pink sash. Nyx's eyes looked at the hanfu in interest, and she carefully felt the fabrics for some hidden pockets; there were, and so Nyx had decided. She searched through her pockets, finding her sack of money.

"Find something interesting?" chirped Viper, her eyes following Nyx's gaze. The snake beamed. "It's very pretty! You should get it."

Nyx walked towards the cashier, who sat behind the counter.

"Is that dress for sale?" Nyx pointed towards the blue hanfu.

The goose shook his head.

"If you can afford it. The dress consists of some of the finest silks in the province. So far none have been able to purchase it. I was thinking of leaving it as a display instead."

"I'll take it then." Nyx grasped a part of her skirt in display. "That is if you could have this dress, as well as the money in my pockets in exchange," she offered, holding up her sack of coins.

The smaller waterfowl eyed the contents of the sack and inspected the dress, rubbing the fabrics of the sleeves between his primary feathers. He nodded approvingly, before glancing at the swan reluctantly.

"The coins can pay a part of the cost. And while the dress is good enough for trade, it is incomplete. What good would it be for?" he questioned.

"You can disassemble the dress and put the fabrics for sale, or you can have the embroidery finished and put it on display—for cultural reasons."

"Hmm, it is a good enough deal. I'll take it," accepted the goose. He waddled towards the stand with the hanfu, handing it to Nyx once he got it out. The swan nodded, leaving her sack of coins on the counter and changing in a stall. While Po and the other Furious Five waited outside the shop, Viper remained inside to be the judge of the outfit.

In the change room, Nyx began transferring her needles into the pockets, now in her own newly bought hanfu. It wasn't tight, nor was it loose, but it felt just right on her form. The swan eyed her figure on the mirror, white feathers on her chin in thought.

_Something seems to be missing, _pondered the bird, until her eyes landed on the reflection of her head. Her mind flickered back to her recent talk with her mother. The swan's eyes landed on one of the unfinished dress's pockets, where the clips were.

Viper sat patiently outside the stall, waiting for the noble swan to show herself. The reptile turned her head when she caught a shift in the curtains. Her eyes widened as she gazed at her friend, now in the hanfu. She also smiled at the new accessories on the swan's head, approving of her friend's new ensemble. While the whiteness of the plumes on Nyx's head contrasted her naturally black feathers, it added more light colouration to her figure; she already had white-tipped wings.

"You look amazing," complimented Viper. "Where did you get the head accessories?"

Nyx touched a white plume.

"My mother gave it to me before we left," she answered. Viper nodded and slithered towards the exit, while Nyx caught up shortly after placing the folded dress onto the counter. The two exited the shop, talking about the city's sites they could see. Po and the rest of the Furious Five gawked at the black swan.

"If we didn't know of your heritage," remarked Mantis, "I'd say you'd fit in quite well, despite your . . . unique colours."

Nyx shook her head. She gestured to her dark-feathered form.

"I'm a black swan. I don't think there are any in China—well, not that I know of. They tend to prefer warmer areas."

"Then how did you get your colouration?" wondered Crane.

"I suppose I inherited my appearance from my great-grandmother, who was a pure-blooded black swan. My mother thinks so. She lived in the Oceanian region, far from here and Germany," answered the swan, unconsciously fiddling with one of her primary feathers. The Furious Five and Po nodded interestedly. Nyx regained her calm immediately. "Well then, where to now?"

Excitement began to bubble up within Po as he dragged his friends to the nearest site. While the panda's enthusiasm was overwhelming to some—Tigress felt like she experienced the weight of eating a mountain of sweets, despite not having eaten any—it was a great energizer for the group. It felt like a long time since Nyx felt the exhilarating joy of being around friends—the last time being a year ago back in Italy. As the swan stared at a famous tea house, she began to think.

"Are we friends?" she blurted out unknowingly, but the panda beside her caught her words. Though they had just met a few hours ago, the group were by far some of the nicest people Nyx has been around with in all her twenty-nine years of existing. Po tilted his head confusedly, jovial emeralds on the waterfowl.

"Of course," Po answered nonchalantly. "I mean, we wouldn't have let you tag along if we considered you a mere stranger, right?"

"But why? I came here to rest with my parents, pay our respects to the late Master Rhino, and go to a festival. I'm also a noble family's daughter, can't you see?" Nyx questioned.

The Furious Five just listened silently in interest, though they knew the swan and panda were very much aware of them.

"Yeah. And? You gotta have friends, no matter who you are. They can lead you to a path, and they can also shape who you are. I'm sure you've had some in the past, unless you just read a book your entire life about being morally proper," Po said.

"Gee, never thought you to be sentimental, Po," commented Mantis.

Po turned noticeably pink.

"Let's say I listened to a few words my dad told me recently," he answered, chuckling while bashfully scratching the back of his head.

"I see . . ." Nyx looked down thoughtfully. "I did have a few friends—three to be exact—and I'm grateful for them. They remind me of you all." The swan looked up with joy-filled eyes. "Thank you then, Po. I'm glad you're a friend of mine."

"Anytime, Nyx."

The swan turned around from the tea house and began to walk ahead, before stopping to turn to the group.

"Shall we get going then?"

Everyone nodded and followed the swan, who decided to lead the way . . . with the help of Po's given directions, of course. As they walked on, the group didn't notice the nostalgic smile plastered on Nyx's beak. The Kung Fu warriors reminded her vaguely of her friends in Italy; each a small splice in the three Italians' personalities.

* * *

"Mother, I think this is a little too much," protested Nyx as she eyed the large basket with traditional Chinese clothing.

"Nonsense!" exclaimed Lorelei, pulling out a pink robe from the basket of clothes. She held it up to her daughter. "Don't you think this looks great on you?"

Nyx internally sighed. The moment she entered her room, she was bombarded with Chinese clothes her mother secretly brought. She was already fine with the hanfu she bought hours ago, and the dresses she brought, but her mother became a little extreme with the clothes—Lorelei had been that way ever since Nyx returned to Germany, but Nyx couldn't blame her as the older swan had just gotten her precious daughter back. Lorelei also kept protesting on how grand her new hanfu was, so she insisted on having her daughter wear "lower-grade" robes and save the hanfu for the festival. Her mother's occasional extremities in fashion bothered Nyx a little; she was no doll, but for her mother's sake she would be after never really having such moments during their years of separation.

"I suppose I'll go with wearing the dress for the festival," Nyx mumbled, taking the robe from her mother.

"Good! Because that dress looks really gorgeous on you, along with the combination of the clips. With a few touch ups on your appearance, you might as well be mistook as a princess!"

"Thank you, Mother," the black swan chuckled. Lorelei began to exit the room exuberantly.

"You're welcome, dear! Now keep the hanfu somewhere safe, and wear it for the upcoming festival instead. You can wear your clips as much as you like—it really suits you, you know. And I suggest you hurry up, as your new friends are waiting for you." Lorelei felt pride erupt within her upon the revelation of her daughter's new bond with the revered warriors from the Valley of a Peace. "Your father and I, as well as your friends, will be waiting for you at the dining hall."

Nyx nodded as her mother left. She looked at the robe in her wings, smiling gratefully. She was very fortunate to have such caring parents, and now new friends. If there was one thing Germany never offered her, it was a chance at finding a lasting friendship. There was also one other thing, but the swan couldn't point out what exactly. Nyx just had a feeling coming to China would be very life-changing for her.


	5. Hide and No Seek

**A/N: Finally, a Shen-focused (mostly) chapter! While this story doesn't follow the third movie's canon, there is a reference about it, but the events with Po have never occurred in this story. Random thing, but I also solved the problem with Nyx's species compared to her parents (who are BOTH mute swans): magical recessive genes (don't ask)! Anyway, unlike my other chapters, this took a little more thinking and planning so I could make it decent (I have my notes but they're rather unclear), so this is a little shorter but hopefully it is satisfactory enough (also hoping I've only made small errors). Well, eeeeenjoy!**

**Anonymous Reviewer Responses(as well as an exception, and sorry for the lateness, hehe!)**

**XiomaraLaura: Thank you! Sorry for the late reply, by the way. Anyway, I try to make the story good enough not just for the satisfaction of others, but for mine as well. I don't have any beta readers to give opinions (while a beta reader would be nice, I try to test myself through going solo—I prefer that to be honest—and learn as I progress), but I do occasionally send one of my best friends (who's quite familiar with the KFP fandom) a chapter to learn of her opinions before posting it (sometimes she catches the menial errors I make, which is relieving for me).**

**Guest: Thank you, and you're welcome! I'm looking forward to scouring the internet for your story once you have it released. More Shen fanfics would make me (and certainly some others) really happy, hehe~! I officially love the character . . . well, I have for years, but I only say it now because why not.**

**If you anonymous reviewers have been reading this, I'll say it now that I really enjoyed taking the time to respond to your comments! :)**

**Feel free to leave a review in the end! (Sans XiomaraLaura because of my late response, from now on I'll be responding to registered reviewers through PM. Looking forward to replying! :D)**

**Disclaimer: _Kung Fu Panda_ belongs to _DreamWorks Animation_.**

* * *

Chapter 4 – Hide and No Seek

* * *

Metal talons scraped against the stone floor, making a noticeable scratch. The twirling of the Guan Dao made up for a good dance, until it landed onto a target etched on a tree outside; the blade along with the throwing knives and talons have been customized in a faraway town to suitable standards. Shen scrunched his brows as he left the wall-less building and took out the blade, wood chips flying.

_"How about you consider joining us, peacock?"_ the voice repeated in his head. _"Together we, and this army, shall achieve domination over the weak. Clearly there's only one of you, and without an army you will fail. Not even that no-good, pathetic Dragon Warrior can beat us."_

One day during a visit he paid to an isolated village, Shen encountered a peculiar lynx, whose name was Liu Wei; the meeting had given him a sense of déjà vu, possibly back to a similar wipeout several months ago. He was offered to be under the service of the lynx, which seemed a little tempting considering the number of people in the army. Of course, with Shen's pride being larger than the blast of his cannons, he denied the offer, as he wished to be no one's servant. This led to the immediate wrath of the feline, which led to the destruction of the small village. Shen made it out successfully, along with several of the lynx's former allies whom he saved—to his surprise. Most were boars, while some were weasels; one was a bird. Despite their small stature, some the weasels showed surprising skill.

After "rescuing" Liu Wei's former comrades, the fighters swore their allegiance to the peacock. The lynx knew their death was bound to come once he wrathfully demolished the village—he cared not for them, and he even said so himself. And even if they managed to follow Liu Wei out alive, it was out of unwillingness. Liu Wei was a strong opponent, having been around longer than Shen. This strength led to the fear within the servants, and so they joined the lynx's tribe to avoid death. Regardless, Liu Wei's forces were strong. That made it a problem for the albino peacock, so he had to play his cards right in the world of villainy; it was a constant dominance-based competition between the nefarious and the wicked. While Shen and Liu Wei may not reach the same infamy as the Wu Sisters or The Jade Slayer—he was mentioned in an ancient scroll during one of Shen's history lessons and during his training in martial arts, but he doubted this Kai would be that well known anyway—they were still considered evil among China's folk.

_My plans shall not conjoin with another's,_ decided Shen as he looked at the horizon.

The peacock strolled through his new hideout—an abandoned village near the mountains with buildings made of stone and wood alike, quite a ways from Gongmen but of fair travelling distance—until his eyes landed on the group of mammals camping nearby. Its members mainly consisted of boars and weasels, but also the occasional dhole—Shen recalled his gruesome encounter with a group six months ago—and one pigeon that served as the messenger; the bird was most likely out on a flight. Shen discovered of the town remnants several weeks ago, and it was after confirming the absence of life did he and his new . . . servants decide to settle for temporary shelter.

"Lord Shen, Lord Shen!" called a young, chocolate-furred weasel, scampering excitedly towards the peacock with a scroll held in his tail. Shen held in a groan of annoyance as every head in the group turned to him.

"What is it, Peng?" questioned the peacock, already growing impatient. Upon being first introduced to the weasel, Shen found it utterly absurd that Peng was named after a dessert; he assumed the mammal's parents to be foolish to name their son after some rice dish. So he dubbed the weasel, formerly Nian Gao, Peng. "Whatever you called me for better be important."

Peng nodded vigorously, a wide smile on his face.

"I think you'll find this important, milord! The messenger took this"—Peng handed Shen the scroll—"from Gongmen and gave this to me to hand it to you."

Shen unrolled the parchment, a sinister grin growing on his dark beak as he thought of what the contents could be about. The peacock's smile fell as he skimmed over the details, which simply turned out to be the general ideas about the festival dedicated to his parents' legacy. However, a thought came to Shen as he comprehended the event. His smile returned fully.

"Gongmen is to celebrate with a festival . . ." drawled Shen, a primary feather stroking his chin thoughtfully. He then remembered the festival night that was dedicated to his parents was coming. "So there will be numerous distractions for them." A good time for a raid.

"What do you think, sir?" asked Peng. Shen rolled up the festival plans before tucking it into his robe. He coughed for everyone's attention.

"In a month's time, I'll assign half of you to sneak into Gongmen city to gather as much necessary resources as you can. That includes food, metals, and weapons. If there are any . . . hindrances in the way you shall get rid of them with no hesitation!" Shen ordered. He glanced around at the mammals' staring eyes, then glared. "Do I make myself clear?"

They all nodded nervously.

"Good. We'll formulate the plans tonight. NOW STOP IDLING AND GET TO TRAINING!"

Everyone scurried off into small groups to spar. Peng ushered them off gently.

"Just Lord Shen being . . . Lord Shen!" reassured Peng, doing quite a horrible job at it as his comrades gave him odd looks, but went with it anyway.

Shen sighed and made his way to the least damaged building, an old house, where he housed himself for the time being. Upon entering the decrepit building, he settled himself on a torn bed with a pile of scruffy blankets that served as his nest. The peacock muttered incoherently to himself, before dozing off for a nap.

* * *

_Liu Wei strolled around the village, searching for some good spots to steal with his minions. He feigned good-hearted actions towards the residents, exchanging stolen money for resources and helping elders carry their goods while snatching bits and pieces when their old eyes were averted. The lynx was a discrete feline in the crowd, but he still managed to fit in. As Liu Wei was about to head to a nearby vendor, he spotted a flicker of white with hints of red and black around the corner. This caught the feline's attention, as he soon followed the deathly colours. It wasn't long until he found the source, revealing to be the train of a peacock mostly hidden underneath the plain cloak._

How interesting,_ he thought. As far as he could recall, Liu Wei only knew of one peacock in China with a colour scheme resembling death; and he hated that bird with a passion. To confirm his thoughts, the lynx moved closer to the cloak figure, until he tapped the stranger's shoulder. He needed no further proof as the face under the cloak belonged to none other than Lord Shen—or rather, _ex_-Lord Shen. The peacock tried to hide his silvery white complexion, but alas Liu Wei had already glimpsed at a small portion of the white-feathered head._

_"Lord Shen," greeted Liu Wei, "fret not, because your secret is safe with me."_

_The albino peacock could only stare at the lynx warily. Liu Wei beckoned the avian nearer._

_"Oh, forgive me for not introducing myself. My name is Liu Wei, and I would simply like for us to talk. Come, let us discuss in a more private spot." Liu Wei led Shen into a dark alley, where none dared enter and instead moved under the daylight. As the lynx was leading the thought-to-be-dead peacock, he began to plan and organize his thoughts into one idea; it brought a sense of domination as he considered the idea, until finally going with it. If it failed, then he and the village could all burn. Quite literally, and he had the men to do it. "I have an offer," Liu Wei proposed the moment the peacock's blood-red orbs glared at him questioningly._

_"And what, exactly," began Shen, "is this offer? We just met, and though you are familiar with me, I don't trust you one bit, nor will I ever."_

_Liu Wei smirked._

_"Well you see, I have a feeling this offer will be something . . . beneficial to us both."_

_"Just get to the point, cat."_

_Liu Wei held up his paws in mock surrender._

_"All right, all right!" The lynx began to walk in a circle around the peacock. He held out his paw towards the younger male. His hate for the peacock ran deep, but he could at least diminish Shen's dignity and possibly have a strong force under his will. "How about you consider joining us, peacock?" Shen only stared with a hint of bewilderment at the feline. "Right now my men accompany me around this town, but it is only us in this area. Regardless, they are here, and they are strong. Together we, and this army, shall achieve domination over the weak. Clearly there's only one of you, and without an army you will fail. Not even that no-good, pathetic Dragon Warrior can beat us," he finished._

_Shen, however, had long since made his decision. He slapped away the extended paw and scowled at the lynx._

_"I'll find my own army, built with _my_ own power and not under yours," he sneered. Liu Wei leered at the peacock and smirked._

_"But there are so many great things that'll come to you," reasoned the lynx. Shen only stared coldly, his choice set. The peacock's cool gaze ticked off Liu Wei. If there was one key thing about the lynx, it was that his temper could sometimes be as short as a rat._

_"I serve under no one, especially not under clods like you."_

_"I see," Liu Wei said, his anger rising. No point in hoping, as his one-sided nemesis turned the offer down, and quite rudely at that. "No regrets? All right, I guess"—he gave a loud, distinct whistle to cue his minions—"YOU'LL REALLY BE DEAD! YOU AND THIS HERE PLACE!"_

_It was clearly unreasonable to kill off an entire village over a declined offer, but Liu Wei enjoyed feeling death's wavelength; Shen's insult strengthened the cause. Sounds of cries and screams and explosions were heard, as well as the roars of Liu Wei's lackeys. Shen furrowed his brows and dashed for the nearest exit, speed being a fortunate advantage for him. It wasn't long that the peacock vanished into the mayhem. Liu Wei growled as he aimed arrows towards Shen's fading form and the frantic villagers, shooting and shooting until he felt somewhat satisfied._

_"I WILL DESTROY EVERYONE HERE, EVEN IF IT MEANS ONE OF MY OWN MEN!" The lynx paused. "Sacrifices have to be made, and getting rid of the useless is necessary! Know this, Shen, that I will ensure your true death!"_

_It wasn't just the villagers that were caught in the flames, but also some of the lynx's men. Liu Wei even emphasized his apathy by ordering some of their deaths._

_"They'll all know their place," the lynx whispered. "And they'll regret messing with me."_

_Soon all that was left was the smoke and embers from burning buildings and corpses, with the surviving members of Liu Wei's men shouting in victory. The lynx felt a sense of triumph, but it was all extinguished the moment he heard a peacock cry in the distance. It was as if Shen was making a mockery out of Liu Wei, and it infuriated him._

_"Unlike you, _Shen_," Liu Wei spat the peacock's name venomously, "I'll take slow and measurable steps to ensure control of the land. Bit by bit, until I'll have you and China's people trapped in a tiny corner where it is deemed inescapable. And then, I'll have your corpse turned into wall decor—a great revenge. Simply perfect."_

_It was a good enough plan. Small steps, until one large, unstoppable attack would finish the game. Shen waited two decades for domination, but Liu Wei would wait longer—and he did. Now he just needed to initiate the smaller plans and group them together until it unraveled a bigger picture. Soon success would be at Liu Wei's doorstep, greeting him like a treasured person._

"Ah, I can't to decorate your tail feathers on my robes. It'll definitely be an eye-catcher," Liu Wei mused as he eyed a map of China. "Your sickly white plumes will show off the shine of my victory."

It was a large map of the country, made of cloth instead of paper. Several daggers pinned certain parts of the fabric as marks for future attacks and destinations. His anger for the peacock bubbled within him, until his grey eyes landed on a certain recovering metropolis. Something nefarious began to stir within Liu Wei, and a plan began to formulate in his head. A grin crept up the lynx's face as he eyed the mapped area of Gongmen City.

"Perfect," he whispered. "A good place for raiding, and a good invasion on that insolent peacock's birthplace." Just a small raid, until claiming it in the future. Liu Wei called for one of his minions until a middle-aged weasel entered the tent. The lynx gestured the other mammal closer. "Come here," he beckoned.

"Y-yes, sir?"

"You lived in Gongmen City for a few years before joining me, right? Tell me, what benefits could I gain from a city that rose because of some colourful sparkles?"

The weasel's mouth shook. His sworn allegiance to the lynx was another forced promise, and it was not a particularly good memory to recall. He felt rather envious for the ones that escaped the recent village raid alive—the day Liu Wei found Shen alive and well instead of dead and cursed.

"U-uh—w-well, there are a lot of resources in Gongmen, e-especially an abundance in fish. There's also a festival—" Liu Wei halted the weasel's words and leaned closer in interest.

"Festival, you say? I absolutely adore those." He especially adored causing destruction and ruining the happiness the festivals were supposed to bring—seas of tears and disappointment from the faces of the people. Liu Wei inched closer, smiling wickedly to himself, but the weasel only backed up fearfully. "What is this festival? Clearly it's important if you mentioned it."

"I-in around a month's time," the smaller mammal answered reluctantly, "G-Gongmen will hold a festival dedicated to the late Lord and Lady peafowls. It's v-very important t-to the community, so it'll be v-very big."

"Food? Celebrating? People?" The weasel nodded shakily.

"W-why d-do you ask, s-sir?"

"We'll need to restock soon. And besides, I'd like to ruin another good festival, especially at a large city such as Gongmen." Liu Wei stood and made his way over to the map, stabbing a new dagger onto Gongmen's drawn location. He smiled devilishly. "We'll bring a small group and speed our way to the festival. You, weasel, give me more details about it so I can plan. Let the others know, too."

The weasel nodded and scampered out, relieved to be out of the lynx's range. After he left, Liu Wei's grey gaze returned to the map.

I will dominate that supposedly great city, soon after wreaking havoc unto that festival. But first, I'll take down the tiny areas and amass an army. I'll be unstoppable, and not even that Shen could accomplish what I plan to achieve.

* * *

Morning came by easily for Shen, as he was an early riser and slept easily enough. Last night he and his men had gone over the plans for the small raid in Gongmen, most of which were the peacock's specific orders. Being rather isolated from any other civilization, resources were needed in large quantities before the next time to restock. The base was located up north of the country, but a decent trekking distance from Gongmen. Shen resided in the run-down village's only walled building, while the others camped under the trees or through shacks they built. Nonetheless, it was a good living space. And although the mammals in the hideout were enjoying themselves quite nicely, Shen was in a conflict of his own.

The peacock exited the house and started for the mountains, a good place he found to relax in relative silence. No one except for Shen was awake, so the albino's disappearance would go unnoticed for a portion of the morning. But, it was still a fair amount of time for isolation.

Shen sat under a tree with a sigh. He thought of his plans, his goals, and his potential achievements. His hunger for power and recognition had yet to be satisfied; and he decided not to stop until he got what he wanted. There was, however, one new obstacle—Liu Wei. The lynx was skilled, but it was reasonable as Shen didn't have several extra years to train unlike Liu Wei had. However, Shen could easily keep in pace with the feline. Another advantage the feline had was manpower. Compared to Shen, who had naught but a small cluster, Liu Wei had an army.

_Sometimes I wish I had my wolves and gorillas here. Their numbers were great, and their strength almost unstoppable,_ thought Shen, but then he remembered his betrayal to Wolf Boss. He did not know about the gorillas, but when it came to intentionally maiming the alpha—or worst case scenario, murdering—loyalty in the pack would certainly be lost. Thinking about their alpha's death brought a speck of remorse within the albino peacock, but in the end he shrugged it off. It had to be done, and Shen would not regret something intended to happen. Then there was his parents' deaths . . .

Shen frantically shook his head. He would dare not go there, not again. They hated him when he only tried to defend himself. That fact was only realized the day he returned after wiping out the panda village.

_"You got to let go of the stuff from the past, because it just doesn't matter."_ The panda. How Shen sometimes wished he had won instead of that fat bear. Shortly before his cannon nearly crushed him to death, he sat there with the vulnerability in his eyes exposed to the world. That panda, however, was the only one that saw the rawness in the blood red pools and tried to offer a second chance. Shen made his choice, though, so he couldn't turn back on it. But then . . . why did that dream-Soothsayer from long ago try to convince him of a better path? In the end it was just him, so there was no point. Satisfaction may be the only solution, caused by a successful, recognizable domination.

Shen rubbed a wing on the side of his head in exasperation. Fortune was not with him.

* * *

"We'll need to take over a forge," said Shen. "They're necessary if we are to make the parts for the weapon, as well as other weapons for you all."

"But milord, aren't we far from civilization? Where could we go to make the weapons?" inquired Peng, a little unsure. The peacock glared at the weasel from the corner of his eye. Then, a triumphant smirk emerged from Shen's beak.

"Just a very short distance from here," began the albino, "is another abandoned town, but much bigger. From what I recall during one of my explorations there, I found a large forge. We just need to heat it up, and we're good to go."

"If I may add to Nian Gao's reluctance, sir," piped up a boar as he eyed the cannon's blueprints, "I, as well as the others here, are wondering how we could transport your cannons once they're completed. You said you once had gorillas under your order, but alas we can't match their strength."

"But you have number on your side," debated Shen. "You definitely have the muscle in you, but you just need more of you to transport it." His red eyes surveyed the group around the table. Each pair of eyes he met only held hesitance for the plan. Shen sighed. He didn't want to deal with their complaints at the moment. "Build carts for easier transport. You can take turns pulling it while we head for Gongmen," he added.

Shen turned around to write his plans. The group let out murmurs of satisfaction as the peacock wrote, but their voices were immediately silenced when Shen glared at them.

"You are dismissed," he drawled. "And if you don't do anything else right now, I'll kill you all for your uselessness!"

Bows and salutes were thrown towards the albino before he was left alone. Shen shook his head and returned to writing.

"Imbeciles," he muttered. The group's members were good and faithful, but that was also the case with his gorillas and especiallyhis wolves. He would dare not go soft on them, or it would be weakness to him. All that mattered were his plans. Shen grinned deviously. "Yes, yes, each step leads me closer. Soon I'll kill that damn lynx and that fat, moronic panda. Then China shall be within my grasp!"

He chuckled maniacally as he finished the plan.

Later he exited to survey the boars and weasels train, until the only other avian landed beside him. Shen looked at the pigeon questioningly.

"What?"

"I learned of something while I was in Gongmen," answered the pigeon. "I didn't tell Nian Gao, but I'm sure it'll be good information for you."

Shen's gaze returned to the sparring mammals, but his attention remained focused on the smaller bird beside him. The peacock raised a brow at the messenger.

"Do tell of this . . . good information that you've found." The pigeon nodded.

"Swans," answered the grey avian, "I saw swans in Gongmen. Noble swans from that European country called Germany, I heard. I think they're in the city for the festival, since the elders said they were friends with your parents."

"It seems Auntie and Uncle have returned," muttered Shen, quietly so the pigeon won't hear. Lord Gerard and Lady Lorelei may have made time for trips, but the last time Shen had heard from them was shortly before his banishment—four years ago being the last visit of the swans, he found out from some talk just outside Gongmen. The peacock's grin widened menacingly. "Even better. At least I can prove them my greatness."

Shen turned his head towards the messenger, nodding. Blood red eyes bore into the smaller avian.

"That's even more reason to head for Gongmen. Perfect. Thank you, dear messenger." His gratitude lacked sincerity, the pigeon noted, but he shrugged and flew off after he was dismissed.

As the night's deep blues painted the skies, Shen eyed his plans in dark wonder. The rest of the group outside shared stories as they ate their dinner. Red eyes glowed eerily from the lantern beside him, making the peacock seem nightmare-like.

Deep in a forest where very few would venture, a peacock as white as the snow and moon had a new plan. And, more miles away in a large cave was a lynx who had the same goal, but was just as threatening.


	6. Rest

**A/N: One of the shorter chapters, but that's because it's one of the more chill ones. Anyway, enjoy! :)**

**Disclaimer: _Kung Fu Panda _belongs to _DreamWorks Animation._**

* * *

Chapter 5 – Rest

* * *

Gongmen buzzed with the activity of its citizens as they made the final preparations for the festival. In three days' time, the event would commence. It was something to look forward to for everyone.

The past month for the swans consisted of getting accustomed to the city and helping with preparations—the swan Lord and Lady helping with the politics. For Nyx it was relaxing, touring, and bonding with her new friends. Thanks to some of the Furious Five, the black swan got to improve with her skills of using her hidden needles—Mantis helped Nyx point out the sweet spots for different types of anatomies, but also the ones that could kill. She wasn't very skilled at it, but she knew its basic uses. They, along with Po, even got to show her some basic Kung Fu moves; Nyx was rather clumsy at the art but faired decently. Sometimes, however, they simply helped prepare the festival decorations.

"Incoming!" shouted Crane as he and Monkey chased a rolling cart of fireworks. The cart passed by the females of the group, resulting in questioning glances from them. Viper tilted her head confusedly as she finished hooking a lantern on a line.

"What just happened?" she wondered. Tigress and Nyx merely shrugged. Their attention quickly shifted as they heard a loud crash and some crackles.

"Let's check it out," suggested Tigress, leaping towards the scene. The snake and swan followed soon after. Upon reaching the scene their eyes met with a char-furred Po holding what used to be the cart. Viper eyed the panda worriedly while Tigress sighed.

"Uh, hey, guys," greeted Po, smiling awkwardly.

"What happened to you?" asked Nyx as she inspected the charred panda. Po shrugged.

"Just caught the cart, which ended up exploding and that led to some of the fireworks going off," Po explained. Viper cringed as she slithered towards him.

"Are you all right, Po? Maybe we should get you to a doctor," Viper said.

"No, no, I'm okay!" insisted the panda. Monkey and Crane came out of an ally holding some fireworks. Mantis popped out Crane's hat and leapt towards Po.

"You've been messed up quite badly," noted Mantis.

"We should clean up before returning to the Tower of the Sacred Flame," Tigress said and picked up some large wooden fragments. "The debris must be disposed of first."

Everyone nodded and began to gather the remnants of the cart and fireworks. Po helped the swan and Furious Five clean up as if he didn't deal with some explosive firepower. It made Nyx question the panda's power, but then again he did get hit by a canon, he said. When they were done they headed back to the Tower to rest—Po to get a much needed bath—and chat. Later in the evening Nyx decided to borrow the kitchens and cook some noodles—a simple recipe Po had taught her weeks ago—for her friends. It wasn't as good as Po's noodles but they weren't bad either.

Nyx tapped the door with her beak, as her wings were occupied with the trays. The door opened to reveal Crane, who helped the swan bring the noodle bowls to their friends. Both avians settled the bowls onto the table in the middle of the room.

"Dinner, everyone!" announced Nyx as she brought her own bowl to the table. The rest of the Furious Five gathered around the two birds for their food, while Po was handed two bowls of noodles.

"Po taught you well," complimented Viper as she sipped on the soup. "This tastes great!"

"I used to cook for my adoptive parents back in Italy," Nyx explained, slurping a noodle languidly. "I was taught some basic dishes, but this noodle recipe was the first I learned from China."

"And she learned from the master himself," joked Po as he finished his first bowl. The Furious Five chuckled, while Nyx shook her head.

"This month has been great not just for me but also my parents," said the swan. Her ruby eyes scanned her friends' smiles. "Originally this is a way for me—and a bit for my mother and father—to get out of the chaos of the aristocracy, but coming here gave me friends." Monkey clapped for Nyx jovially. Meanwhile Po finished his last bowl as Viper smiled warmly. "It's no wonder the Valley of Peace adores you all. This festival is bound to be great for the citizens because of your being here," Nyx finished.

"Gongmen loves us," mentioned Po. "We were all POW"—the panda punched the air—"And also WHOOSH! We were awesome!"

"Oh yeah we were, especially Po. He saved us with his inner peace," concurred Mantis as he finished a noodle string. The insect flared his "thingies" and made the same motions Po did months ago.

"How did Po find inner peace anyway?" asked Nyx.

"I just put the past behind me," answered Po. "Start of my life was bad, then things got better, and now they're done and part of—well, the past!"

"Interesting . . ."

More words were exchanged between the group as they ate their dinner. It was a great time to bond for them, especially over eating tasty noodles. There were some silly facts brought out, such as Mantis's occasional joke about settling down, or a small teasing session about some love letters delivered to Viper. However, their time had to end when a knock was heard from outside. Tigress answered the door, bowing respectfully as Lorelei entered.

"Good evening, everyone," the white swan greeted. Po and the Furious Five responded with greetings of their own. Lorelei turned to her daughter, who nodded.

"What brings you here, Mother?"

"Before we get too occupied with the final preparations for the festival, I'd like for us to go to the throne room to meet with the court soothsayer," Lorelei explained. She turned to the Kung Fu warriors. "If you like, you all can accompany us."

Po nodded.

"I'll tag along!" he confirmed. The panda then glanced at his friends. "How about you guys?"

The Furious Five nodded simultaneously and moved forward. Lorelei smiled as she walked ahead.

"Very well. Come."

The Kung Fu warriors and two swans made their way to the throne room, which was at the top floor. Though it was known that the Tower of the Sacred Flame was "finished" with its reconstruction, it wasn't quite the case yet. New additions and some details had to be made; the overall body and layout of the Tower was. It was a miracle that reconstruction finished so soon, with the help of several Kung Fu masters. The only thing that required the most attention was the throne room. Lord Qiang's throne was still an ongoing project in the city's forge—the smiths and artisans liked to take their time on a highly valued piece—and the room itself still lacked its vibrancy and royal furnishings.

During the entire month Nyx was in Gongmen, she had only visited the throne room once. In that month—other than bonding with her new friends—she had also been introduced to the soothsayer, a nice, sagely goat who lived just outside Gongmen but often came to the Tower; the soothsayer radiated with warmth and kindness. Nyx also got to speak to Masters Croc and Storming Ox on some occasions; thankfully Ox had eventually come to terms with his suspicions of her.

Everyone climbed up the last set of stairs, and they were greeted with the sight of a not-quite-finished throne room. Po was left panting as they made themselves known throughout the room. Below the steps of a platform of where a throne would be sat the soothsayer, with Gerard beside her. The older swan nodded at his wife and daughter, while the Furious Five followed behind them.

"Nice to see you well tonight, Soothsayer," greeted Lorelei.

"As with you, dear," returned the goat with a warm smile. Her eyes scanned the rest of the group. "Come now, what do you need me for? A look into your family's future, perhaps?"

Nyx turned to her mother curiously.

"Now that I think about it, what did you bring me here for, Mother?" she wondered.

"Soothsayer," began Lorelei, "I'd like for you to tell just my daughter's future, if you don't mind."

Ah, Nyx realized, so that's why.

"Interesting request," noted Tigress. Her amber gaze locked on Nyx. "I hope we're not intruding."

The black swan shook her head.

"It's all right, you're not. You're all my friends, and I trust you. I also know that you're very good people. Have we not established that this past month?"

"Thank you, Nyx," said Viper, smiling gratefully.

"Very well," the soothsayer said. "Now, I need one of Lady Nyx's feathers and a piece of one of her clothes."

Lorelei took out a bent feather and a violet scrap of silk, handing it to the goat. Nyx perked up at her mother.

"You kept that?" she questioned. "And where did you get that scrap?"

"I knew we were going to have your future foretold anyway, so I kept that feather. The silk, on the other hand, was from one of the nightgowns you packed," Lorelei answered.

"Oh . . . wait, what?"

The soothsayer tossed the two items into her bowl—a new one that was replaced shortly after Shen's defeat—and looked up at the family of swans, Lorelei and Gerard in particular.

"For what reason do you wish for me to foretell your daughter's future?" she inquired. "Marriage plans, I assume? She is at that age, after all."

Po and some of the Furious Five snickered at their friend. Nyx hid her blush behind her wing, but with her dark feathers she didn't need to.

"We don't want something bad to happen to our Nyx again, such as . . . our twenty-four-year-long separation," replied Gerard.

"Ah, don't let worry cloud your mind, dear. Had those events not happened, your daughter wouldn't be who she is right now," advised the soothsayer.

"Thank you, Soothsayer. But, we do this for Nyx's well-being. Do proceed, please," said Lorelei. "And . . . maybe a good marriage for our daughter would be a nice bonus from this session. We want what's best for her, after all."

"Mother!" exclaimed Nyx. Lorelei chuckled at her daughter's flustered expression.

"All right, dear. We'll stop with the jokes. For now."

The goat nodded and tossed an odd powder into the bowl. Nyx, along with the Kung Fu warriors next to her, looked at the bowl in mystification. The contents sparked and formed into a mist that took numerous shapes and colours, but one form in particular—half of a black swan.

"Your daughter," began the soothsayer as she deciphered the images, "isn't quite whole yet." The mist formed into a night sky, starry but lacking something key. "Hmm, the moon seems to be missing. Yes, without her Moon, Night is anything but whole."

"What does that mean?" piped up Nyx as she stared at the image.

"A part of your heart, dear, lies in another part of the world. Italy, was it? You are just getting accustomed to this new world; to you, it's much bigger now that you've seen more. But, your eyes will soon open to new experiences that will help with your assimilation. This 'Moon' will help you, only if you guide it back into the night sky."

Nyx shook her head.

"I'm afraid I don't quite understand, Soothsayer," she admitted.

"Her Moon will complete her, child. That's what I can say."

"So the night is a girl? I thought it's usually the moon that's a girl, especially in poems," wondered Po.

"Uh, Po, I think it's called personification," whispered Monkey to the confused Panda.

"Master Monkey is right. In essence, the moon and the night are like two halves of a whole. Without one or the other they are incomplete, just like the sun and the day," clarified the soothsayer.

"Oooh! Okay, now I get it," Po said.

"Now, shall I continue?"

"Please," Lorelei mumbled.

"I'll make my translations clearer now."

As the misty images continued to shift, a smile slowly grew on the wise goat's face. One image, in particular, formed into the shape of Nyx absorbing the blackness of a snowflake. Everyone stared at the image in awe.

"The black swan named after the night, will seek the black heart, and with her touch it shall be purified," the soothsayer foretold. More images appeared, revealing to be flowers and feathers added to the white field. "She will take the darkness and once again, the snowy field shall remain so white and pure. Red flowers bloom out of love, and the black swan's dark feathers scatter to claim the fields as her own. Instead of death, purity and renewal will take claim of the fields. As this process goes on, her eyes will open to something new, yet familiar to her."

The mist faded and the room's lighting returned to normal.

"That is all," concluded the soothsayer.

"Um—uh, I-I don't . . ." stuttered Nyx. "I'm sorry, but I still don't quite get it."

"You will in time, child."

"So Nyx will purify a snowy field? And red flowers will bloom out of—" Lorelei's words were finished with the soothsayer's next line.

"Love? Yes."

"But what exactly does a field of snow, flowers and feathers have to do with Nyx's future?" questioned Gerard. The soothsayer began to clean her bowl as everyone stared at her confusedly.

"And what does a field have to do with the night?" added Po.

"All are connected. While they are both different, they both allude to the same thing—an opening to love and lessons."

"Is that supposed to be a good thing or a bad thing?" asked Nyx, nervously.

"That really depends on you, young one. Let time take its course, and soon you will realize what I mean. You both will learn new things from each other."

"Both?" The soothsayer's last sentence only raised more questions in the black swan. Nyx was no genius, nor was she a dunce. However, she felt like she was starting to lean towards the latter.

"Tell us, Soothsayer, what else can you speak of this . . . Moon?" inquired Lorelei.

"A dark heart soon to be pure as a field of snow, if your daughter remains on the path she's taking. Love fills it, so familiar yet so new," the soothsayer explained, a knowing smile on her lips. Lorelei shook her head exasperatedly.

"Never before have your words been so obscure when explaining these things," noted Lorelei with a sigh.

"It is for the safety of you all, and I have always been like this. One word can entail several meanings, so we take a side and try to change it into something that may or may not be the answer; usually those decisions are the latter. That I know of, thanks to a certain someone."

"Okay, this is really starting to hurt my brain. Can we go now?" Po groaned as he scratched his head. Nyx looked to her mother in permission, who in turn nodded.

"You and your friends may go. Your mother and I will speak to the soothsayer some more," Gerard agreed, gesturing his daughter and the group of Kung Fu warriors out. The soothsayer's face turned grim the moment the younger audience left.

"Nyx will face something eye-opening, something you may not like, but must happen," mentioned the soothsayer. Her look calmed somewhat. "Depending on her choices, it may end up badly, or very well to the extent that she could have what they may call a 'happy ending.'"

"Thank you, Soothsayer," whispered Lorelei. "Is there anything else?"

The sagely goat shook her head.

"Like I said, for the safety of you all I shall not reveal too much. Not only would it be unwise, but it could lead to something terrible occurring."

"Thank you anyway," thanked Gerard.

"A pleasure to speak with you two again. It's been weeks since we last held a proper conversation, and you've both been gone for meetings. Four years and you're back. You really must appreciate Gongmen."

Lorelei nodded.

"We do. Qiang and Mei only increased our love for this place; they were such great rulers and the best of friends to us. If only they could meet Nyx, because I'm sure they would adore her."

"Indeed," the soothsayer concurred. "You both have a lovely daughter."

"Thank you," the swans spoke in unison.

_He's alive, oh thank goodness. She would definitely make a mark on Shen, just as he would with her,_ thought the soothsayer. _But that is something to happen later, if they let time take its usual course._

* * *

"The bearded lady's words were so confusing!" uttered Po as he landed on his bed happily.

"Soothsayer," corrected Nyx as she cleaned up the table alongside Viper and Crane. She thanked the two Furious Five members as they handed her the trays of stacked bowls. "Although her words were meant to say what is to become of me, I find it just as confusing, Po."

"She speaks riddles," mentioned Monkey as he placed Mantis on a pillow. "But I mean, it should be that way if you don't want to know every single detail about your future, especially if it's your death."

"I'd like to know my death," piped up Mantis. "If it's good, that is."

Nyx turned to look at Po.

"Wasn't your future foretold?" she asked.

"In a way, yeah, but the soothsayer was actually telling Shen's. Warrior of black and white beats him and all, yep." Upon mentioning the fallen warlord, the group grew still and sullen. Tigress's paw clenched into a fist, breaking a wooden cup she held. Nyx took the cup and placed it into one of the bowls, looking at the feline worriedly. Lord Shen must have done a number on them to act that way, Nyx presumed. Trying to clear the increasing tension, the swan cleared her throat.

"Erm, how about you all get some rest? It's getting late after all," suggested Nyx, looking out the dark window in emphasis. She picked up the trays and started towards the door, before turning her head at the Kung Fu masters. "The festival is in three days, everyone. We should be prepared and well rested. Have a good night."

"G'night," muttered Po as he drifted into a dreamless sleep. The swan had a small smile as she left the room. Soon the Furious Five agreed and got ready for bed.

"Sometimes you forget she's a Lady of a status second to royalty," mentioned Mantis. "She acts so . . . normal sometimes."

"Come on, guys, she was raised in a farm for most of her life. Nyx wasn't taught extensive mannerisms there until she returned to Germany, but either way she's a pleasant person to be around," said Viper, fluffing her pillow. She chuckled as she heard a snore from Po. "Po agrees, even if he isn't awake to say it right now."

"The guy is very friendly," Mantis concurred as he looked at the snoring panda. A teasing smirk etched its way onto his face as he nudged Monkey. "No wonder he got to be friends with Tigress so easily, eh, eh?"

Monkey responded with a muffled chortle, nodding as Mantis chuckled quietly. Viper cast them a soft glare, shaking her head exasperatedly.

"Come on, boys, let's sleep." The snake glanced at a still grim Tigress. "You too, Tigress. You're starting to worry me a little, so please rest that stress away before it burrows itself into you more."

Tigress nodded softly.

"I will, thank you."

* * *

Nyx wiped the newly cleaned bowls and stacked them on the counter. After a few short minutes of trying to dismiss the servants, the swan washed the bowls and trays after they finally conceded. Now it was just Nyx in the kitchens, while the servants were nowhere to be found. The swan internally sighed as she finished with the last bowl. For Nyx it was a pretty easy job, doing the dishes. It was one of her chores in the farm. A yawn escaped the waterfowl as she blew the lights of the area.

Upon entering her room, she changed into a nightgown and landed on the bed tiredly. Of course, she blew out the flames the lamps soon after, so the room was dark. Nyx curled her neck as she burrowed her head into a pillow.

_A moon, a snowy field,_ the swan mused. _But what does it mean? Seek the dark heart and purify it? What does the love mean? Romance? Kinship? Friendship? And what is the supposed eye-opening experience? What about the lessons I'll learn through someone?_

Soon the black swan's mind became clouded with questions. It came to a point that she let out a groan of frustration. Nyx shook her head and shrugged.

"Let time take its course," she quoted, remembering the soothsayer's words. _Very well._

Nyx closed her eyes and drifted to sleep.

Still, one thing bothered the swan. She couldn't help but have a bad feeling about the festival, despite its good intentions. Something was going to happen. Nyx was not a psychic, nor did she have a bowl to see the future like the soothsayer, but the gut feeling persisted; something was going to happen in the night of the festival, and it wasn't something good.


	7. Broken Joy

**A/N: Oh boy, I'm surprised this isn't longer than the second chapter, with all that's about to transpire. Well, scratch that—lots can go on in a few short sentences anyway. Anyhow, I've been imagining how this chapter will turn out for some time already, with some new additions as I went on, which is why its completion was so quick (in an hour before a day, wow). I only went through and edited this chapter once (I wanted to show this to my friend prior to posting but she was busy so I didn't want to intrude) so I apologize if I made a few noticeable errors (if you spot any then feel free to let me know)! [FYI THIS AIN'T AN ADVERTISEMENT SEEKING BETA READERS—I'd prefer to work solo for now or have a trusted friend wHO CAn EnGrISh read it (sorry if that killed you) xD]**

**Anonymous Reviewer Response**

**godzillafan1: There definitely is. There are also two other fanfics besides The Vow that I've read that had Shen paired with a swan (one of which was by the same author of The Vow). I have read The Vow before, and in my opinion it's one of the best Shen stories I've encountered (I'd make Shen/Lianne my "ShenTP" if it weren't for Nyx haha)! While this story may remind you—and certainly some others—of The Vow, I'm trying make it as less similar as I could (minus the Shen/Swan part). And to answer your question—and I hope it won't intimidate you and some others _out_ of reading it—SPOILER ALERT: They (sadly) will not meet in this chapter. I like to take my time, hehe! Anyway, thank you for reading! (Please don't feel discouraged with what that second last sentence!) :)**

**Feel free to leave a review!**

**Disclaimer: _Kung Fu Panda_ belongs to _DreamWorks Animation_.**

* * *

Chapter 6 – Broken Joy

* * *

"It is time, everyone! Tonight we head for Gongmen and raid the festival of its resources!" Everyone applauded at Peng's quick speech. Shen nodded, before flinching as the weasel's ridiculous name was mentioned.

"Praise to our friend and valued comrade Nian Gao!" shouted a boar as he clapped his hooves together.

More mammals applauded for the weasel. Said weasel puffed his chest proudly, before looking at Shen like a child seeking for his parents' approval. He loved being called by his true name—it's not every day someone named their kid after their favourite food—and Shen was the only one left to accept him. Names were valued among the people of China, and if they were named over something seemingly ridiculous then so be it—clearly there was a special reason if that were the case. Shen only shrugged and waved a wing in an aloof manner. The peacock's gaze returned to the group and his glare turned harsh. He paced the raised platform, crest raised in intimidation.

"You all!" Shen pointed at the group. "I want you to grab your weapons, some sacks to hold the goods, and your gear fit for the trek and raid! Not too heavy, not too light!"

The group displayed their weapons and items, waiting for the peacock's approval. Shen nodded firmly as he surveyed the items.

"Good. Now get out there! If you move at a good pace you should arrive in Gongmen in two days, just in time for the festival. NOW GO, GO, GO!" barked Shen. He turned and pointed at the weasel beside him. "And you too!"

The weasel only looked at the albino pleadingly. Since joining the peacock Nian Gao had hoped to gain enough respect from Shen to be called by his birth name; he loved his parents so he would love the name given to him. Shen groaned and slapped is forehead in surrender. With a small amount of men on his side, he had to play things right. The peacock also couldn't bear to lose the only person who could cook decent food.

"You too . . . _Nian Gao_," he conceded reluctantly, visibly cringing. Nian Gao nodded happily and left with the group, his things already with him.

Shen sighed and flew up a tall tree to watch the fading group. As planned, they were on a silent march towards the awaiting metropolis. Soon they would be restocked to last for longer periods, and hopefully have some supplies that would be of help to them—metal would be a good example. Another pair of flapping wings was heard, and Shen turned to see the messenger perched on a branch beside him. An idea then entered the peacock's mind.

"Follow them," instructed Shen. "Stay out of sight but keep a good eye on them. Once they return inform me of the details that the raid group didn't mention. Am I clear?"

"Yes, sir." The smaller avian nodded and flew towards the marching mammals. With that done, Shen glided to the forge to see to its repairs. The peacock grinned as he thought of all the forge's uses once repairs were complete. There was only one question remaining now—why name a child after food? Now Shen was starting to slightly regret sending out Nian Gao; the other men that stayed were horrible cooks, and thinking of the weasel's name made Shen think of the actual nian gao.

"Stupid, whiny stomach for making me want currently intangible food," Shen grumbled irritatedly. He shook his head and smirked. "If Auntie and Uncle don't leave, it'll definitely be nice to show them my future accomplishments. Well, I don't think they'll leave anytime soon anyway—it's simply too dangerous for them once they know there are outsiders lurking in the shadows."

Meanwhile in some other part of China, another group was on their way to the same city, except their leader was accompanying them on their journey. Two groups on their way to invade Gongmen City's festival—one a simple raid and the other a small attack.

* * *

**Gongmen City**

The sun was starting to set. What was supposed to normally be a time to prepare for a new day, was replaced with the bustling and very much awake citizens who came for the festival. The city was lively with the activity of the festival goers. Some of Gongmen's residents dressed casually, while some dressed extravagantly. The latter was the case with the family of swans. Po and the Furious Five were dressed as usual, but with slightly more formal wear; they were to wear something easy to change out of in case something bad were to happen. Meanwhile in the specially assigned guest suite of the Tower was where Nyx and her parents were. Nyx stood in the first hanfu she bought, feather clips on her head as usual; the swan had grown attached to wearing the accessories.

Nyx attempted to beautify her face with makeup, but to no avail. She had always been terrible at makeup or just plain art; it was something she found herself horrible at, but it wasn't a necessary skill in the farm. Lorelei sighed and snatched the brush upon seeing her daughter's struggle.

"Let me do it," insisted the older swan. She settled the brush just an inch from her daughter's cheek. "How do you want your eyes done?"

"Anything is fine," answered Nyx.

"Ah, all right."

"Please make it light and simple, Mother." Lorelei nodded and began to work on Nyx's makeup. In the end she settled for red wings, matching the black swan's eyes and beak; it also stood out in the black feathers of her face. A very, very small amount of silver glitter was sprinkled on Nyx's cheeks to add a slight shine and appeal. The white swan looked at her work in approval.

"Done! Would you like to see?" Lorelei handed her daughter a small mirror. Nyx eyed the reflection in surprise.

"Not bad," Nyx praised. She tilted the mirror in different angles for better inspection. "How did you do this, Mother?"

"Mei taught me one time," was Lorelei's answer. She smiled as she gazed at her daughter lovingly. "You look beautiful, dear. I'm sure this festival will be great."

The gut feeling returned. Nyx tried to give a calm smile.

"Yes, maybe it will be," she hoped.

"Are you ready, ladies? You two sure know how to take your time," spoke Gerard as he exited the changing screen. Lorelei nodded as she took her husband's wing.

"Definitely. But you must know, dear, perfection takes time." Lorelei winked at her daughter. All three of the swans were dressed in Chinese robes, but unlike Nyx's, Lorelei and Gerard's robes were green to complement each other. The older female looked at her daughter warmly. "Come along now, sweetie. I'm sure your friends are waiting outside."

It took some more time to make it down the tower, with all the stairs to walk and all. As the swans entered the courtyard, they were greeted with the faces of the Kung Fu masters and the soothsayer, including Masters Croc and Ox. Everyone bowed in greeting, before the conversations grew less formal and more on friendly talk.

"You look amazing, Nyx," complimented Viper. "Your makeup really accentuates your eyes. Lady Lorelei did a great job on it!"

"Thank you, Viper," replied Nyx. The group exited the Tower grounds and soon reached the streets. They were all greeted with more bows and friendly waves, until the crowd dispersed to their own activities. During the month of Nyx's trips to the streets, the citizens had eventually grown accustomed to seeing the oddly coloured swan's presence. Black swans were another common species, but the northern areas mainly knew of the paler ones.

"Err, Master Croc," whispered Po as he tapped on the reptile's shoulder, "when does the festival start again?"

"The moment we reach the podium," answered Ox instead. He pointed at a platform in an open area that held the podium. "There we will make our speech and the event will commence. And"—Ox's hoof then settled on Po's shoulder—"as one of the people who saved Gongmen from Lord Shen's tyranny, you must also say a speech to the crowd, along with the other masters here. That also applies to the swans."

Po's eyes widened.

"You only say this now?!" Po shook Monkey's shoulders frantically, who yelped and eventually rejoined a guffawing Mantis. "I don't even know what to say to them! And didn't we kinda give them our autographs months ago already?"

Everyone took out their speech notes and displayed them to Po. The panda groaned.

"So that's why you were all up so late these past few nights."

"Uh, yeah," said Mantis. "Didn't we tell you about the speeches weeks prior?"

"Oh, you did? Oh! You did!" Po realized. He then remembered one night during which it was mentioned, but Po was too tired to process the words. "Well, I'll just think as we head there."

"We're here," announced Croc as he walked up the platform's stairs. Po's hopeful expression fell, turning awkward.

"Oh, uh, then I'll think as you speak."

Ox cleared his throat, causing the crowd to hush upon hearing his deep voice. There were a few whispers of excitement, but overall the crowd waited.

"Good evening, everyone!" began Croc the moment all eyes were on them. "Thank you so much for taking the time to prepare this wonderful event with us, it's been a pleasure and we are grateful for that!" A small cheer reverberated throughout the area. Croc smiled and nodded. "Yes, without your help, we may not have this festival right now. Master Ox?"

Ox replaced Croc and stood behind the podium, notes in one of his hooves.

"I'm sure you all know the reason for this event, but we'd like to mention it anyway. In dedication to the late Lord Qiang and Lady Mei, we have made this festival for all their accomplishments," stated the ox. The speech progressed until it was time for the Furious Five to make their speech. Soon it was Po's turn. Everyone began to cheer loudly for the Dragon Warrior that saved their city.

"Uh, hey!" The crowd responded with more whoops and cheers. Po chuckled. "Glad to see you're having fun! Ehh, I'd just like to say you're welcome for being able to help, and also thank you for welcoming me and the other Masters to your special celebration." Eventually the panda gained more confidence, making the process of talking easier and smoother. "Being in Gongmen City taught me many things, such as those inner peace-y moves—well, that was outside the city, but you know what I mean. Hope you're all having happy times thanks to our super-hero skills! And, yeah, you helped by being awesome people too!" he stated.

Soon the crowd's cheers became deafening, until Po had to calm them down.

"Okay, okay, thanks! Uhh, I think that's all. Have a good evening, everyone! Dragon Warrior out!"

The Masters patted Po's shoulder at his successful speech. Po nodded and joined his friends behind the swans. Next up stepped both Gerard and Lorelei. Upon their turn, the crowd bowed respectfully. They nodded for the crowd to cease their bows.

"Thank you, everyone," began Gerard. "My wife and I are grateful for your hospitality as we have another stay in your beautiful city, this time alongside our lovely daughter, Lady Nyx. It's an honour to join you as we celebrate an event dedicated to two close friends of mine and my wife's. Lord Qiang and Lady Mei would be proud of your dedication."

"I'm also glad you treated my daughter warmly, despite her difference in the crowd. As always you make Gongmen such a wonderful city for us to visit; it's no wonder the late Lord and Lady appreciated you all so much," added Lorelei as she smiled at the crowd. She cleared her throat. "There's not much else for us to say, other than thank you. Really, it's always a pleasure being here. Now, I present to you my daughter, Lady Nyx!"

The crowd clapped as the black swan stepped forward. Nyx nodded and gathered her notes. She glanced at the soothsayer, who gave her an encouraging smile. Ruby eyes scanned the crowd as the speech began.

"Good evening, everyone! Like my parents and the Masters present, I'd like to thank you all for making Gongmen such a nice place to be in," began Nyx. Her eyes wandered the large group of civilians who stared back at her. "I was very excited to come here, after hearing my parents' hearty stories about their experiences in this city. Here I met new friends"—Nyx gestured towards Po and the Furious Five—"and I got to see more of what this world has. Practically all my life I lived in a farm far away from civilization, and upon reuniting with my parents I got to be here. Again, thank you. That's all I have to say," the black swan finished, bowing as she joined her parents at the back.

Master Croc clapped and grinned. Once again the crowd was silenced.

"And with that all done, may the festival commence!" Shortly after the crocodile finished, fireworks boomed in the night sky. The crowd oohed as they eyed the sparks of colours that helped form Qiang and Mei's legacy. Everyone began to form small groups and head somewhere else to celebrate.

"Would you like to accompany us, dear?" Lorelei asked her daughter. Nyx shook her head and ushered her mother forward.

"It's fine, Mother. You go and enjoy your time with Father. I'd like to explore a little," declined Nyx. "Maybe I'll catch up with you two later."

"Suit yourself, dear." And with that, Lorelei left to join Gerard, but before shouting, "Please join us later, Nyx! We haven't had family time in so long!"

"I will!"

Nyx flew off to check out some stalls—a way to help her calm a little. Po and the Furious Five had recently tried to tag along, but Nyx insisted on some time to herself. She tried many Chinese treats in the dense areas, but mainly kept to herself. After trying out the foods, the black swan moved on to another; and it turned into a cycle of find, try, and leave. Of course, Nyx also took the time to enjoy the beauty of the festival decorations—the civilians had done a spectacular job at embellishing the city. With the night sky blanketing the area, the lanterns that she and the Kung Fu warriors hung made the festival look phantasmagorical, mystical lights and all. Although everything seemed beautiful, Nyx's anxiety slowly grew as the night progressed. Her gut kept telling her of something terrible happening very soon, but she didn't know what exactly.

As the moments passed, Nyx was at a new stand. While the swan was about to take a bite on her snack, a tap on her shoulder diverted her attention. Her ruby eyes widened slightly as her gaze landed on the soothsayer.

"Oh, Soothsayer!" exclaimed Nyx. The waterfowl placed a wing on her chest in relief. "What brings you over here?"

"I apologize if I spooked you, child," responded the goat. She took the swan's free wing and held it soothingly. "I'd just like to acquaint myself with you more. We never really got to speak much."

Nyx nodded slowly, before finishing her food and joining the sagely goat. The two strolled around the quieter parts of the streets where there was less activity. As they walked the swan and the goat got to know each other some more. The conversation's topic shifted as the two females moved to a specific part of the city.

"If I recall," began the soothsayer, "Lady Mei once said that this here street was where your mother accidentally bumped into Lord Qiang all those years ago."

"How strong was their bond?" wondered Nyx. The goat's amber eyes softened as she looked at the swan beside her.

"Very strong," the soothsayer answered. "Your parents visited as much as they could, you know. It was as if they were childhood friends, despite actually having first met in their early adulthood. They even spent some time with a very young Shen, but their trips were halted when they wanted a little one of their own. Two years was the length they didn't visit, just to have you. And then, five more years to take care of you. Then, three more years were spent grieving over your disappearance. A total of ten years was spent for you, and your parents loved Gongmen as a second home."

Nyx looked down shamefully.

"And I was being a slight nuisance, requiring so much care and attention that my parents had to stop seeing their dear friends and the place they would consider as a home. I'm glad living in Italy had taught me to take care of myself more, at least." The soothsayer calmly patted the waterfowl's wing. She smiled as Nyx glanced at her.

"You were no nuisance, dear. The moment I saw your parents introduce me to you, they looked at you with pride, and most of all, love. A parent's bond to their children is a precious thing; if it is broken, it can change them, but it can also . . . kill them."

"Lord Qiang and Lady Mei," Nyx realized. The soothsayer nodded.

"The two peafowls loved their son, Shen, very, very much. One fateful day their bond was severed; and the Lord and Lady grieved and grieved. It had gone to a point that it made them weak with sickness, and eventually it killed them off slowly; they no longer saw a point to live a world without their beloved son," the goat explained. The two females continued their stroll, until soon they returned to the denser parts of the city. "It was a heartbreaking sight. Because I was their court soothsayer, I had to be there."

"So they loved their son that much?"

"Indeed."

Again the gut feeling kicked in. Worry began to settle in Nyx as she looked around uneasily. She shook her head and turned to the soothsayer.

"If you don't mind me asking, but is it wrong that this festival may not be . . . as good as everyone hoped?"

"I'm sure some of us feel that way," the soothsayer replied. "While the festival is important, it's not wrong for some of us to feel that way at all. We have this feeling in our gut that tells these secret things that haven't been revealed, such as how you're feeling right now."

"How did you know?" Nyx uttered. The soothsayer chortled.

"After years of feeling that same thing, and almost as much looking at one's future swirling in smoke from a bowl, it simply comes. Everyone has it, but it depends on the situation," she spoke. Amber eyes then met ruby ones. "And I know that this situation is definitely connected to you."

Nyx gave a small, awkward smile.

"Er, shall we continue? I'd like to move on from this subject now, please."

"Of course, dear."

In reality, Nyx didn't want to worry herself even more. The soothsayer was aware of it, so she complied to the swan's request. Later the two stopped near a stall that held some odd tea samples. They continued to speak, mostly to keep Nyx's unease at bay.

"My mother said you were assigned as Lord Shen's nanny," recalled the swan. "Is it true? That you took care of him when he was younger?"

"Yes, I was. The Lord and Lady were very busy at the time, so I was appointed as the one to raise their son when they couldn't. Young Shen may have spent more time with me, but that didn't make him love his parents any less," the soothsayer answered. "Why do you ask, child?"

"You remind me a little of my adoptive mother. She seems to be around—I mean no offence—your age. You also share some of the wisdom she had. There's also something warm about you, like a calm flame," Nyx described.

"Thank you," the goat said.

"How about some tea?" Nyx mentioned as she pointed towards the stall near them. "There may be some types that I have never tried before. What about you, Soothsayer?"

"That would be lovely." The swan began to gently drag the goat with her.

"It's been a great time getting to talk and know more about you, Soo—" Nyx was interrupted upon the sudden onslaught of arrows. She let out a silent gasp as several flaming arrows caught some food stalls on fire. The swan began to drag the soothsayer to a safer place. Screams and shouts were heard as Nyx and the soothsayer ran. They saw the forms of dholes and boars raiding stalls and attacking some civilians. The two fled inside a furniture store near an ally.

Nyx led the soothsayer down a latch she fortunately found, bringing them to a secret storage area. She continued leading the elderly goat until they stopped in front of an old closet. It was relatively quiet, except for the sounds of voices crying and weapons clanging outside; a faint, raging blaze could also be heard.

"Please stay here, Soothsayer. For your safety," instructed Nyx as she ushered the soothsayer into the closet.

"Why aren't you joining me here?" wondered the soothsayer, but she already knew the answer. Nyx shook her head.

"I can provide as a distraction and divert them away." Nyx shut the doors and began to head back upstairs. "Please stay safe!"

"Oh, Nyx . . ." whispered the soothsayer. "It is you who should be kept hidden and safe from harm."

Nyx ran outside the store and hovered at the edge of the chaos. She tried to barricade the building as inconspicuously as she could, placing crates around the shop. After deeming it safe, Nyx took out her senbon needles and tried to shoot the attacking mammals. Out of sheer luck, a needle pierced a boar's cheek. The boar squealed in pain, leaving an assaulted rabbit alone.

"Thank you, milady!" he said gratefully. Nyx nodded and gingerly pushed the rabbit away.

"You're welcome, now go find somewhere safe to hide!" ordered Nyx. The rabbit complied and scampered off as his fear returned.

Little did the swan know, she was being watched. Grey eyes gazed at the dark avian's form, waiting for an opportunity to strike. In the shadows stood Liu Wei, eyeing the swan's silhouette in interest.

"A goose? No, no, it's much larger than that," muttered the lynx. As the feline stalked closer, a wooden beam toppled and caused a loud clatter. Liu Wei cursed inwardly.

Nyx swiftly turned her head to locate the source of the sound. Her eyes narrowed as she saw a shadowy form obscured a narrow alleyway.

"Who's there?" Nyx's words were firm and bold, contrary to her shaking wing that clenched a needle in her sleeve. Unlike the other mammals that attacked, she knew this one was different. "Show yourself!"

A chuckle came from the alleyway, revealing Liu Wei as he strutted closer to the swan. Nyx coughed through the smoke and focused her vision on the lynx in front of her. While the swan felt a tinge of fear upon seeing a predatory species, the lynx felt the opposite—intrigue and oddly enough, enchantment.

"Beautiful," whispered the lynx as his grey eyes landed on the now clear form of the swan. It was like beholding a rare artifact brought to life. Liu Wei would consider it love at first sight as his grey gaze remained on the black swan. Nyx only glared as she scrutinized the feline.

"Who are you?" demanded Nyx, unconsciously backing up. Liu Wei shook his head and smirked.

"Liu Wei is my name, dear," the lynx replied. "Yours?"

"Why are you here?" The lynx's question went ignored. Liu Wei chuckled some more.

"To steal resources and ruin this festival, of course! Why do you even ask?" Nyx backed up until she stumbled into an alleyway. Unknowingly, the swan began to shake.

"A beautiful thing like you shouldn't be kept in this wretched city," Liu Wei remarked, stroking the swan's head softly. Nyx jerked away and hissed threateningly. The lynx smirked and whistled, signalling his nearby minions to regroup. Grey eyes met ruby—one lustful and one furious. "Come with us—with me, and you'll come out unharmed."

"Never," Nyx sneered. A rush of adrenaline coursed through the swan as the lynx neared. It was either fight or flight, and Nyx leaned more towards the latter. The black swan hissed and viciously pecked Liu Wei's arm, taking flight immediately after.

"After her!" ordered Liu Wei.

Nyx flapped her wings frantically, trying to escape the increasing group of armed mammals. She continued to fly shakily, avoiding some arrows that whizzed by.

* * *

Po whooped as he knocked out an unsuspecting dhole. There were more than he thought, but possibly under two different leaders as some had unique cloaks over their armour, despite being of the same species. Tigress kicked three charging boars, causing them to fly back and knock out more of their comrades. The feline leapt beside the panda.

"Any sight of Nyx?" inquired Tigress, striking a weasel. Po shook his head sadly.

"No, unfortunately," he answered. The two leapt across the roofs of buildings while knocking out the mammals who weren't cloaked; Po assumed they meant no harm, as none had attacked yet. The warriors stopped as they heard a swan's cry in the distance. Po looked at Tigress in realization. "I don't think that's Gerard or Lorelei."

"They're both back in the Tower," Tigress agreed. "It's definitely Nyx. Come on, Po!"

As they traveled quickly, the two Kung Fu masters stopped as they saw a frantic Nyx struggling to fly from a large group of the attackers. A lynx stood out in particular as he made his way towards the edgy swan. Po opened his mouth to announce his presence, but Tigress put a finger on her lips to silence the panda. Reluctantly, Po nodded and alongside Tigress eavesdropped on the cluster.

"We'll take her with us," proclaimed the lynx. He then looked at a hissing Nyx. Liu Wei snapped his fingers. "Knock her out." Nyx was immediately knocked unconscious with a dhole's swift punch to the head. The lynx cleared his throat. "The rest of the group that aren't with us will be left here, and we'll move on back to camp. Then, the swan will be mine to claim," he decided.

Unfortunately, Po couldn't keep his mouth shut for long, especially if it was something that had to do with his friends.

"You'll have to go through this panda first!" announced Po as he jumped out of the hiding spot. Tigress facepalmed and joined the panda soon after. The two took fighting stances as they made their presence known throughout the group.

"If it isn't the Dragon Warrior and"—Liu Wei's eyes landed on Tigress—"his pet kitty. Pretty little thing, but I'm already taking the black swan as my wife," said Liu Wei, patting Nyx's head softly. Tigress growled and clenched her fists.

"Hey, aren't you like around Nyx's parents' age?" Po eyed the lynx's aging but lean physique. Liu Wei only laughed.

"Is that supposed to matter? Some emperors in the past took concubines who haven't even come of age yet. And like many say, age is just a number."

"The thought is still a little weird, and I don't think Nyx even wants you!"

"Focus, Po," hissed Tigress as she nudged the panda.

"Right, right!" Po's stance tensed as he furrowed his nonexistent brows intensely, but a smirk remained on his face. "Prepare to taste the fist of justice, cat!"

"My minions!" called Liu Wei. The mammals next to him perked up. "Take the supplies and go! And don't forget to carefully transport my future bride!"

The group nodded tersely and began to flee. Liu Wei remained and took on a preparing stance. His grey eyes glared into Po's form.

"Shall we, Dragon Warrior?"

"You bet!"

Po made an attempt to punch Liu Wei, but the lynx dodged and kicked the panda. The kick was blocked by Tigress, who smirked triumphantly.

"Forgetting someone?" she taunted. The younger feline landed a successful punch on the lynx's shoulder, causing him to stumble back. Liu Wei grinned maniacally. A swift kick was hurled Tigress's way; its force knocking her into Po, causing the two skid back.

"Doesn't make things any more advantageous," responded Liu Wei. His form slackened, but it still held an air of smug victory. "As fun as this is, I must go back to my men and break the news to my soon-to-be wife. Have a splendid evening!"

The lynx leapt into the air and sprinted across roofs, fleeing from the two warriors to join his men. Tigress cursed, while Po looked at the orange feline apologetically.

"We need to regroup," suggested the panda. "We're stronger as a team, so our chances of retrieving Nyx is higher that way."

Tigress nodded softly.

"The others should be with the swans and some of the civilians in the Tower," she remembered. Both Tigress and Po exchanged nods, before making their way back to the Tower of the Sacred Flame.

A part of the city was clouded with smoke, which made the distant buildings a little hard to see. On their way to the Tower, the two warriors caught the sound of banging from one of the buildings. Both Po and Tigress stopped to find the source, revealing to be the soothsayer knocking on a barricaded shop's door. Po tossed away the crates with ease, while Tigress opened the door and gently ushered the elderly goat outside. Worry was evident on the soothsayer's face as she looked at the Kung Fu masters.

"Do you know where Nyx is?" asked the soothsayer. Tigress nodded solemnly.

"She's been taken by the group of invaders," she answered. The soothsayer placed a hoof on her mouth in worry.

"I had not foreseen this. Not at all."

"And you didn't with Shen and the panda village," added Po. "You're a wise bearded lady, yeah, but we all have our limits. That's just how the world is."

"You speak of the truth, Dragon Warrior," the goat conceded. Her amber eyes scanned the two warriors. "Now, do you know where the attackers went?"

Po and Tigress nodded simultaneously in confirmation. The soothsayer responded with a nod of her own.

"Good. I suggest you leave with your friends immediately once you've regrouped, while I'll inform the swans of what has become of their daughter. But please inform me along the way," the goat suggested.

The warriors agreed, and Po carried the soothsayer with him as they travelled; information also given to the soothsayer regarding the black swan's kidnapping. Upon reaching the Tower, the three were greeted with the grave expressions of the rest of the Furious Five, as well as the worried faces of the noble swans. Po and Tigress explained their plan to their friends, who nodded and quickly left the Tower to begin tracking down Liu Wei and his lackeys. Both Gerard and Lorelei made their way towards the soothsayer, expressions filled with anxiety.

"Where is Nyx?" asked Lorelei, blinking as tears began to form in her eyes. "Do you know where my daughter is, Soothsayer?"

"Kidnapped," was the soothsayer's frank response. "Master Tigress and the Dragon Warrior informed me of what happened on our way here. She was taken—kidnapped to be the bride of the attackers' leader."

Lorelei wailed as she clutched her husband hopelessly. Gerard looked at his wife sadly.

"Oh, Gerard! This is just like twenty-four years ago! W-was this what you were f-foretelling about, Soothsayer? This event occurring? Th-that cruel person who is to be my daughter's forced husband? Was it, Soothsayer?" Lorelei sobbed. The soothsayer shook her head.

"I can't reveal anything else, but I know that this is not what I have foretold. There was also no 'forced husband' mentioned. The events, however, were meant to happen."

"Oh, I should have insisted on having our daughter come with us, Gerard! Consider this festival ruined," whispered Lorelei as she burrowed her head into Gerard's shoulder, tears seeping into the male's green robes. The male swan caressed his wife soothingly, trying to calm her down, but he was just as lost and heartbroken as her. After all the babel and destruction that had just transpired, the night had been anything but insouciant.

The soothsayer looked down. Determination then began to fill her as the seconds ticked by. She would not let the same fate that befell the royal peafowls occur to the swans—not again. Nyx was alive, and unlike Shen's denial she openly loved her parents very much; returning to Gongmen only to find her parents in their own or a shared casket was not something pleasant to think about. Now, she just had to put her faith on the Kung Fu warriors _and_ Nyx, hoping things would go well for the latter.


	8. Lost Again

**A/N: Whew, almost two weeks since I've last updated (and I might go longer depending on my schedule and the things on my daily to-do list)! I've been quite preoccupied lately, but thankfully I managed to sneak some time to work on this and the next chapter. Why both this and the next, you may ask. To answer that—well, I found it odd to leave things in this part incomplete. I know, I know, I could combine both chapters, but nah! I'm also thinking of drawing an actual cover for this story this weekend (Canadian time zone) . . . unless you wish for me to keep the "magical moon pic," I now call it, saved from Pixabay (to those who don't know, it's a Creative Commons—or free to use—image searching site); type "moon" on that site and the current cover image will pop up somewhere (revealing that piece of info might make you get that impression of my being a hilariously lazy person). Of course, a change of cover images is 50/50 right now, considering the things I have to do for next week. Anyway, enjoy and until the next update! Feel free to leave a review.**

**P.S. For awhile now I've noticed that the copy I paste on here—I use my Notes app on my iPad and iPhone's shared iCloud—doesn't process the states of font (bold, italics, etc.). If it's in italics the word is usually connected to the next (sometimes applies to ones that haven't been italicized). The time in which I post this and the next chapter is very bad, so there are a lack of good revisions. So, if you spot any improperly conjoined words, feel free to let me know if you can. Hopefully**** I can edit this entire thing once I find the time to fully go through it. Sorry to those who are particular with grammar (aka grammar police)!**

**Disclaimer: _Kung Fu Panda_ belongs to _DreamWorks Animation_.**

* * *

Chapter 7 – Lost Again

* * *

Two groups—a squad of raiders and a team of Kung Fu warriors; the latter was chasing the former. It was only an hour since the ruin of the festival, and things didn't seem to get any better. However, the Dragon Warrior And Furious Five were nearing their target, despite some occasional hindrances.

"G-guys! A breather, please!" requested Po, panting quickly. The Furious Five looked at each other, until nodding after coming to a unanimous decision.

"A quick break, Po, but not too long. We can't bear to lose them," said Viper.

"The swans will either break down or kill us if we don't bring their daughter back—that is, if they're anything like some of the goose moms out there," remarked Mantis, shrugging. "So . . . we better make this thing quick."

"Why don't youtry moving at our pace? You've been sitting under my hat the whole time." Crane's eyes were on the loitering green insect beside him. A few moments later Po stood up.

"Uh, I think I can continue. We don't wanna lose them now, not when we're this far from the city." Po dusted off his pants and gestured for his friends. They continued through the trail of tracks left behind by Liu Wei and his gang.

The group of Kung Fu warriors leapt from tree to tree—thankfully the towering plants were thick enough to support a certain panda's mass—moving farther from Gongmen City and the ocean right beside it. It was only a few minutes after reuniting with each other did the warriors leave to track the raiders, who have already covered quite a distance; Po and the Furious Five, however, could make up the gap with their pace, even with the panda's girth. Upon hearing the faint sounds of foreign chatter, the Kung Fu masters began to move in an inconspicuous silence.

Six pairs of eyes landed on the group of mammals—and single unconscious avian—below, mainly on the lynx leading them. Liu Wei's ears twitched noticeably as he listened to the very subtle sound of thumping. The lynx's grey eyes looked up, thankfully having missed the hidden forms of six Kung Fu masters as it scanned throughout the area.

Monkey's gaze landed on a solemn Tigress, a questioning look in his eyes. Po looked at his two friends, but his stare was also on the striped feline.

"When do we make our move?" mouthed Monkey, looking at Po shortly after. The rest of the Furious Five joined the silent communication, wondering about their move. Both the tiger and panda exchanged a glance, before nodding in an unsaid agreement.

"I'll give the cue," replied Po, very, very quietly. And so, the group kept a close eye on the other below them.

* * *

In the throne room of the complete-but-not-quite Tower of the Sacred Flame paced two German swans. Gerard held Lorelei's wing as he followed her step by worried step. The female swan sighed, bringing a wing to her face as more tears sprung from her eyes. The soothsayer looked at the two white birds worriedly. An hour into the leave of the young Kung Fu masters had the elderly goat worn out from the swans' behaviour.

"I simply can't, dear, not again," muttered Lorelei as she held her husband's wing. She sniffed, wiping a tear away. Gerard squeezed his wife's wing reassuringly, shaking glumly.

"I know. Losing Nyx is simply . . ." Gerard sighed, settling his eyes on the floor. The swans continued their simultaneous pace once again.

The soothsayer furrowed her brows. She had had enough. The goat walked up to the avians, resting a gentle but firm hoof on one of the two swans' shoulders.

"Please settle down, you two! I'll prepare you both some green tea, but please calm down! Worrying your poor selves away won't solve anything, or bring your daughter back for that matter," she chided. A soft glare was sent towards the swans to emphasize her point. Gerard and Lorelei looked at each other, before nodding shakily. The soothsayer sighed and left to prepare the tea, but not before saying, "Please act like proper adults. You need to remain calm at all costs; this is the age during which your hearts are very fragile. Now, I'll just make you some tea."

Lorelei kept her head bowed low, clicking her beak together anxiously. Gerard brought his wife close to him and kissed her cheek.

"The soothsayer is right, Lorelei," said Gerard. "Pacing and letting our emotions overflow won't get our daughter back." Lorelei nodded numbly, amber eyes still on the floor. Gerard sighed. "Besides," he added, "our old and aging hearts may not be able to take this stress any longer."

"I'm sorry," Lorelei whispered. "I'll try—I'll try to stay strong, for Nyx. But please be with me through every struggle."

"Isn't that one of the conditions of marrying you?" the male joked. Lorelei chuckled humourlessly.

"It is."

Meanwhile with the soothsayer, who just entered the kitchen, felt sad yet bothered. Though the soothsayer was there during Qiang and Mei's major depression, it still didn't make things hard for her. She was an aging goat, so placating two worried swans with hearts that were just as fragile was no easy task; at least the two royal peafowls had much younger forms compared to the swans in the present.

Steam rose from the kettle, signalling the heated tea. The soothsayer carefully lifted the kettle, then made her way back to the throne room.

* * *

"Sir, the swan—she's waking up!"

A pause.

"Set her down. We'll take a quick rest for now." The sounds of footsteps drew nearer, before stopping. "Rise and shine sleeping beauty."

Nyx twisted her neck to the other side, before blinking rapidly as she regained consciousness. From her blurry vision she could make out moving blobs in the background, but her gaze focused on the mostly clear figure in front of her. She blinked again, eyes narrowing as she met Liu Wei's watchful stare. The lynx was squatted directly in front of her, his face almost at an uncomfortable distance from hers. A warning hiss exited the swan's beak before she could process anything else. Liu Wei backed up slightly, hands raised with an expression of false innocence.

"There's no need to be aggressive," reassured the lynx. "You're only regaining consciousness."

Nyx only glared, black feathers raising. She tried to move her wings, only to find it tied up. There was also a noticeable, albeit small, lack of metallic mass in her pockets, signifying the confiscation of her needles. Ruby eyes bore holes into the curious grey pools of the lynx.

"Release me," she ordered sternly. Liu Wei shook his head as he stood and began to pace around the swan.

"I'm afraid I can't, dear," he answered. "Though my group and I are fast, there is still that chance of you flying away." The lynx squatted again and brought his face closer towards the swan. A smirk was etched on his face as Nyx tilted her head backwards. "But I'm sure you'll love it soon. You are to be my bride, after all," he finished.

Nyx frowned.

"I'd rather die an old maid than marry you," she sneered. The swan visibly shuddered as she imagined being the crazy lynx's wife—the old coot would most likely start a harem if he accomplishes whatever plan he has in mind; and Nyx certainly had no wish to be a part of it. "And I can certainly pull it off if I've lived twenty-nine years without a single partner."

"Feisty, aren't we?" Liu Wei laughed.

"Not really, no." Nyx shrugged. "Really, I don't think I have . . . whatever fire you may think I have—at least, I don't think so." If anything, I'm more like paused as she glanced at the grass. Soon her eyes landed back on the lynx. "I merely state what I think, and so far I have more to say after all that has happened at this time. I've really grown to hate you during these past few exchanges of sentences leading up to my unconscious state, you know," she said candidly, feigning nonchalance despite having the strong urge to fearfully tremble at her audacity.

Liu Wei only looked at the swan amusedly. He cleared his throat and extended a paw, but then retrieved it after remembering the unavailability of the avian's wings.

"Well then," he began, "a proper introduction is required. My name is Liu Wei—a plain, old lynx hailing from Korea but born in China. Yours, miss?"

"No one you should concern yourself with," she merely responded, starting to shake at her boldness. Liu Wei took notice of the bird's growing fear, but then ignored it.

"We're going to be married eventually, dear. Why don't you just give in and move with the flo—"

A sudden cry from above was heard, startling the group. Everyone took a stance, while Nyx sighed in relief upon realizing who the intruder—intruderswere. Liu Wei raised a suspicious brow. From the trees landed Po and the Furious Five, all of them readying themselves. Viper gave Nyx a sympathetic glance as she met the swan's gaze.

"Don't worry, sweetie," assured the snake, "we'll bring you back to Gongmen and your parents in no time. Just leave this problem to us."

Nyx nodded as she stood and backed up, wings still tied. A small squeak escaped from her as she was grabbed by Liu Wei. She glared at the lynx as he smirked at her friends.

"Unfortunately you won't get her easily." The lynx tightened his hold on the black swan. To say the least, it was awkward and uncomfortable for Nyx; she felt both violated and peeved. Liu Wei shot her a glance as she squirmed. Nyx hissed.

"Put me down!"

"No can do, dear. These people want to take you from me, and I ain't letting you escape." Liu Wei unsheathed a sword and pointed it towards the warriors. "Attack!"

"Prepare to get a good taste of justice!" announced Po as he put his fists together.

Chaos erupted as the Dragon Warrior and Furious Five fought against Liu Wei's men. Several were easily taken out, while some were more persistent. Then the Kung Fu fighters suddenly remembered the real purpose of their mission. Po nodded to Mantis, who somehow knew what the panda meant and easily vanished into the grass with his small frame. The panda then turned to the black swan, making a pecking motion with his paws. At first Nyx didn't understand, but eventually she got the gist of it and nodded understandingly. She craned her neck at Liu Wei and called for his attention. It wasn't long that the lynx's attention was gained, and Nyx took it as an opportunity to attack the feline with the help of her long neck. Nyx's beak was definitely strong, as Liu Wei let out a pained yelp and abruptly dropped the swan. Tigress then charged towards the lynx, punching him in the gut.

Still on the ground, Nyx surveyed the tumult in confusion. Nyx's place was fortuitous, because she was no target. She heard the ropes drop behind her, so she moved her wings for assurance. Behind her stood Mantis as he hopped on her head. The swan breathed out in relief as she flexed her wings.

"You're most certainly welcome," the insect said.

"Thank you," uttered Nyx. She felt her pockets and confirmed the lack of needles. However, she tried to help anyway, knowing full well the power of her wings; birds built for long-distance flights needed the muscles to fly. Nyx wasn't physically strong like the Kung Fu masters, but she tried.

"Subdue her!" ordered Liu Wei as he exchanged attacks with a focused Tigress. Nyx tried to slap a boar away, but it proved to be too much as she was attacked.

"Nyx, look out!" warned Viper as someone charged towards her friend. The swan cried out as a dhole slashed her side with his long, sharp claws. If it were a feline such as Liu Wei or Tigress, Nyx couldn't quite comprehend the damage.

Nyx fell to the ground, dirtying her feathers and clothing. Blood began to seep through her hanfu as she laid helplessly on the patches of grass. Ruby eyes scanned the injury, wincing at the severity of the gashes. She could live, but that thought was a little doubtful with the blood that seemed to flow out in rivers of deep red; and it was a rather nasty injury from a simple dog scratch.

"Nyx!" cried Viper as she watched her friend clutch her injury.

"Subdue her, not injure her!" Liu Wei barked, blocking a kick from the other feline. The lynx's order went unanswered, as several more of his men began to target the swan.

Nyx ran off and flapped her wings hastily. The attempt, however, failed. An arrow accidentally shot through Nyx's wing as she tried to fly away, causing her to tumble to the ground. She cried out in pain, tucking her head defensively. Crane fought off a boar, then headed towards the swan.

"We have to get her to safety!" exclaimed Crane to Po, clutching the swan. Nyx's vision began to blur as the pain numbed her senses, before falling back into an unconscious state. "Mantis, please get over here! She's bleeding profusely!"

"On it!" The green insect dashed through the mass of men, until stopping by the swan. He cringed as he saw the gashes. "Uh, yeah, she needs to be bandaged up."

Crane fought off the lynx's minions as Mantis tried to cover Nyx's wounds with the fabric of her hanfu. Because of the severity of Nyx's injuries it wasn't enough, but it would do at the moment. Upon finishing, Mantis joined the fray and helped his teammates. Crane watched over the swan with success, but was stopped when Liu Wei knocked him away; he chose the opportunity as his men ganged up on Tigress. The lynx stopped before the unconscious swan.

"No, Nyx!" shouted Crane as Liu Wei stood at a reaching distance from the swan. Unfortunately Crane couldn't rescue the swan, as a dhole thrusted a spear at him. He quickly became preoccupied as he fought the canine.

Liu Wei picked up the black bird and leapt away from the scene. After reaching a fair distance from the conflict, Liu Wei settled an unconscious Nyx beside a tree. Although she was unconscious, Nyx felt the burn of her wounds and flinched. The lynx beside her patted her head, smirking at the injured swan.

"Soon I'll come back to get you once I finish this fight," he whispered. "After that we can be together, you and me. Now hold on, dear."

Liu Wei leapt back towards the battle. The moment he caught up he realized that things weren't going the way they were supposed to be.

"Idiots," he murmured as he stood in the shadow of a tree. "I should've brought more able men."

Meanwhile with the Dragon Warrior and Furious Five, they were gaining the upper hand in the fight. Viper whipped away a boar as it came charging towards her, then joined her teammates until they formed one big group. Monkey whacked a dhole as Tigress grabbed its tail to toss it away.

"Any of you guys caught sight of that lynx?" asked Viper as she tossed a large weasel. "We gotta beat them!"

"Nope, but we're starting to lose sight of our goal. We have to get Nyx back to her parents," said Po. The rest of Liu Wei's men backed up, realizing their defeat.

"I'm here if that's what you're wondering."

Every head in the group turned towards an angered lynx, who was stalking towards them. He stopped and leered at the Kung Fu warriors.

"Don't you dare back down!" he barked at his minions, who complied very easily out of fear. His head turned back to the warriors, a grin stretching on his face. "My bride has been brought to safety, so you won't get to them."

"Why, you . . ." Tigress fumed as she began to march towards the lynx, until being stopped by Po's paw. The panda shook his head.

"It has only just begun." Liu Wei grinned.

Caught in the chaos, the two groups continued to fight as they moved. But as they were engaged, their true purpose had been thrown in the back of buzzing, activity-filled minds.

* * *

It wasn't the full strength of Liu Wei's forces, but only a part of it. Po and his friends had easily beaten them without too much trouble—all except for the lynx himself. Of course, Liu Wei and his men retreated, while the warriors trailed after them with the goal of retrieving a black swan; and Nyx remained somewhere else from the fight. But of course, that goal was eventually forgotten, as the warriors were kept busy with the fight and chase.

Still, she remained unconscious with injuries that were very much severe.


	9. White Sees Black

**Disclaimer:_ Kung Fu Panda _belongs to_ DreamWorks Animation._**

* * *

Chapter 8 – White Sees Black

* * *

"Any sign of them?" whispered Nian Gao towards one of the boars, who merely shook his head firmly. The group had to be quiet and stealthy, lest they be caught by Liu Wei and the Kung Fu masters. Overall their raid went splendidly; some men were injured but there weren't any bad ones or any casualties. The new weight of resources in the group's packs was a good example.

The raiders strolled through the forest in silence, trying not to get caught by the other group. They were far apart, but caution was still necessary. As the leader, Nian Gao had to be responsible; he had to make Shen proud, or he would be one sad weasel and the other a furious peacock. Nian Gao's leadership skills weren't bad—in fact, they were impressive for an eighteen-year-old weasel named after a dish. He knew of his comrades' limits; and he was benevolent towards other parties to prevent unnecessary quarrels. If only the weasel's leader could see past his unique name. Nian Gao sighed.

"Psst!" A dhole tapped the young weasel for his attention. Nian Gao jumped and turned to the canine confusedly.

"U-um, yeah?"

"There's an odd mass by that tree!" The canid pointed towards a figure settled next to a large tree. Nian Gao tilted his head and motioned for his comrades to halt, to which they complied.

Nian Gao approached the tree and stopped as he neared the form. He perked up in interest as his eyes landed on a feathered form. Getting closer, he realized it to be an unconscious black swan—very injured, too. The young weasel raised a brow.

"They—_she's_ very injured," he noted. Pity began to bubble within the weasel as he stared at the unconscious bird. Nian Gao felt the need to help the poor avian, so he acted on it. He turned towards the dhole next to him, looking equally as intrigued as his leader. The weasel cleared his throat. "We have to rescue her. She's hurt! Please help me transport her." Nian Gao turned to the others behind him, specifically the boars. "You too, if you don't mind," he finished.

Nian Gao ordered another weasel to check on the bird's wounds, carefully unwrapping the silk scraps and replacing it with real bandages. The bloody "bandages" were buried into a hole dug to hide the scent; and the new bandages started showing hints of red as blood bled through. Of course, pressure was applied to stop the constant bleeding. Once finished, the boars gingerly lifted the swan for transport. Nian Gao looked at the injured swan sympathetically, eyeing the injuries and ruffled feathers.

"Why exactly do you wish to save her?" asked a boar. Nian Gao's lips tilted downwards as he glanced at the swan.

"She looked so helpless and could die if left there. I just couldn't leave such a helpless and frail person from dying alone. It's simply not me to abandon someone in need like that," the weasel answered.

"But what if she's armed?" a dhole protested hesitantly. The boar holding the unconscious avian shook his head.

"I checked her pockets. She's unarmed; and based on the clothing, she's definitely of noble status, so she most likely knows little to nothing about combat."

"What about Lord Shen? He was a prince, and he could easily match up to two Kung Fu masters." The dhole was referring to Masters Croc and Storming Ox, recalling the time Shen took over Gongmen City with his wolves and gorillas.

"P-princes need to defend themselves somehow. There are assassins sometimes, after all," said Nian Gao, a little reluctantly. He shook his head. "But I'm pretty sure the swan lacks knowledge in fighting. She appears to have not come from China at all."

The dhole eventually conceded, nodding slowly. He looked at the injured swan.

"I-I suppose. I mean, never before have I seen a swan of her colouration in these parts."

Nian Gao then eventually realized something. His eyes glanced at the form of black and tainted colours that once made up a beautiful hanfu.

"If my guess is correct," he mused, "then this swan could be one of those German swans that visited Gongmen."

"But didn't Lord Shen only mention two white ones while discussing the plans? She's black—with white-tipped feathers, but still a black swan!"

Nian Gao shrugged. He kindly ordered the group to continue.

"No matter, we'll get her all rested up and healed. In the end at least we have done something good for once," the weasel insisted.

"Lord Shen definitely won't approve of this," muttered the boar under his breath, clutching the frail swan firmly.

And with that, the small group trekked through the forest in silence. Nian Gao knew the albino peacock wouldn't approve of his actions, but in the end he got to help someone's life—that is if she weren't to die throughout the journey back to the hideout. However, that brought him one step back from his goal to get Shen's acceptance . . . at least, Nian Gao thought so anyway.

* * *

It was a few minutes after the Kung Fu warriors ceased their chase. Some time into trailing after them they knew it was all pointless. And so, they stopped.

"We wasted our time chasing them," muttered Mantis, "when it turns out Nyx was actually not with them."

"Do you think they forgot to pick her up? And didn't that lynx bring Nyx somewhere else?" wondered Monkey, hands resting his chin in thought.

Viper looked down dejectedly. Being the mother hen of the group, she worried for her friends; of all the people Nyx grew closest to, it was the serpentine reptile. They haven't reached a point of becoming the best of friends, but both Nyx and the group have achieved a good level of trust with each other. Po looked at the reptile worriedly.

"We haven't been beat," she said, "but we certainly lost Nyx. What will her parents think, knowing we, renowned Masters from the Jade Palace, have failed them in returning their daughter? And her injuries . . ."

"So she may be dead?" Mantis guessed candidly. Everyone glared at the insect. "Look, I tried, but we didn't have any actual medical supplies."

"Guys, please relax. She's not with those bad guys, so it's fine. Remember what the soothsayer said? Nyx's future didn't mention death, so she's definitely alive. We just have to hope for the best." Po looked at his friends calmly. He nodded at the understanding silence. "Let's notify Nyx's parents."

Viper shook her head obstinately.

"We're not ones to give up easily, Po, so why now?" The snake's blue eyes held confusion and a bit of sadness as she stared at the panda.

"I know it's weird, but trust me on this—things are going to be okay with Nyx. It's a feeling, but I feel as if I can count on it."

Tigress nodded firmly as she surveyed her teammates.

"I hope you're right. I say this knowing you are the Dragon Warrior and a trusted friend," said the feline. She glanced at her friends, nodding and gesturing them to follow. "Let's head back."

Viper looked down and nodded in surrender, before following her friends back to Gongmen. Needless to say, the noble swans would be very sad.

* * *

"Y-you didn't bring her back?" Lorelei asked as she didn't see a black swan in the group. The warriors' heads were tilted downwards as they contemplated their failure. In the soothsayer's eyes was sadness, but also understanding—Nyx's future was seen, but how it was going to pave itself was unknown . . . until her disappearance.

Lorelei collapsed and let out an anguished squall. Gerard rushed to her side and attempted to calm her, but heartbroken tears streamed like rushing rivers down his cheeks. The soothsayer bit her lip. Grief-stricken, it felt as if the only option for the two swans was to give in to the depression. That was about to be the case, but the soothsayer prayed their hearts would remain strong and determined. After all, they've lived for over twenty years with the thought that their daughter was dead.

The soothsayer walked towards the Kung Fu masters, who still had their heads down in shame. She called for them softly, slightly easing their tension. The goat's amber eyes remained gentle and soothing, but also holding a hint of solemn firmness.

"Please," she began, "I know you won't rest yet, but I still say it now—do not leave the city yet. Things are tense, and knowing that there are dangerous groups that lurk just outside or even within the city makes things very hard for us. We still need your aid in protecting Gongmen, and I'm sure Masters Ox And Croc are aware of this"—she glanced at the two older masters, who nodded in agreement—"so please remain for a bit more until it's safer and Nyx returns. I also plead that you help me in comforting the swans," the soothsayer requested.

"But they will recover, right?" wondered Mantis. The soothsayer shook her head hesitantly.

"Maybe. Maybe not. If a parent loves their child very, very much, losing them before losing themselves will have severe consequences to their health and sanity." The elderly goat's words confused some of the masters, but Ox and Croc definitely understood due to their knowledge of Lord Qiang and Lady Mei. Amber eyes scanned the younger masters. "Do you know how Lord Shen's parents died?" she asked.

"Uhhh . . ." Mantis put one of his "thingies" below his chin in contemplation. "I don't know much."

The soothsayer cleared her throat, then saying, "They died of heartbreak. They grieved for Shen, until their depression reached their core and eventually killed them. Because of the lack of will they had to continue on with life, they grew weak and frail, so sickness killed them slowly." Viper let out an inaudible gasp, thinking sympathetic thoughts about the royal peafowls. Then the goat's tone grew more quiet, lest the swans would hear. "So if this goes on for Lord Gerard and Lady Lorelei, I'm afraid their demise will have the same circumstances as the late rulers of this city."

Po's emerald-green eyes looked at the soothsayer, determination written all over.

"We gotta keep them from feeling sad then. If not, then their deaths will not help things, especially for Nyx."

"Thank you, Dragon Warrior. Now," she said, "how about some tea? You can also take a break later. I'm sure you need some time to relax."

The warriors nodded, following the soothsayer. There no longer wasn't any chaos at the moment, but one thing still lingered in their minds. That specific thought was of Nyx's whereabouts and fate—based on the soothsayer's words, she was definitely alive but somewhere else, but what would happen next was unclear.

* * *

The next two days for the group of raiders were filled with caution, but also a serenity that only companions could bring. Members of the group conversed on occasion—some topics light and tinged with a bit of humour, and some a little more serious.

During the entirety of the travel, Nyx remained unconscious. To prevent her from the obvious case of dying, the medical weasel would tend to her wounds if there was something wrong. The boars would also take turns carrying her, while the dholes and weasels kept an eye out for any potential threats; they knew they were far from Liu Wei and his gang, but Nian Gao found it better safe than sorry. Every time the swan would be handed off to someone, the carrier would always have a curious expression upon seeing the black bird. At first the rest of the group were perplexed as to why a hurt and unconscious black swan would be joining them, but then shrugged it off as their bafflement shifted into interest—it certainly wasn't every day that they would come across an oddly coloured bird, minus the albino peacock that led them.

They were nearing the hideout, noticing the faint traces of smoke through the edge of the forest. The old village was just beyond, in a clearing after another short walk from the forest's borders. Several members of the raiders whooped, but not too loudly so as to not disturb the swan. She still remained unconscious.

"We're almost there!" proclaimed a dhole. Nian Gao turned to the others behind him. He smiled and continued leading them forward.

Upon reaching the hideout, they were greeted by the grins of their other comrades. Everyone exchanged greetings, welcoming one another and planning celebration plans; it was a joke, because Shen wouldn't approve anyway—they had to be resourceful. The boar holding their unconscious guest hid behind everyone, trying not to attract any attention. However, every head soon turned as they saw him holding the avian. Curiosity washed over them as they scrutinized the injured swan.

"You're dead," a weasel stated bluntly, knowing full well of their peacock leader's harshness. "But let's not hope literally."

Nervous chuckles erupted from the raiders, eyes cast down and hooves or paws scratching the back of their heads. Nian Gao stepped forward and firmly shook his head.

"We'll house her in the storage shack once we have her made known. But first, we'll need to drop off our materials and announce our return to Lord Shen." The young weasel scratched his arm nervously. "Uh, where is Lord Shen?"

"In his house," a boar answered.

Nian Gao nodded and ushered his group ahead, but not before telling some of the boars to clear the shack and reside their guest in; and the boar happily complied as he dropped off his things and brought the swan to the shack—some others followed him to make room. They made their way to the only house that remained in tact, which was also where Shen resided. When they reached the decrepit building, Nian Gao knocked on the door shyly. It was almost immediately answered by Shen himself, who looked irritated at the disturbance. The peacock smirked upon seeing the group.

"Ah, you're back. Do tell, how did the raid go? Any things you took that were useful to us?"

"Milord, we took some items made of metals—maybe for forging new things. Oh, there's also lots of food from stands. Well, there are lots of things." Nian Gao displayed the contents of his sack, revealing to hold mainly ingredients for dishes. The others did the same as Shen inspected them.

"All right, not bad," muttered the peacock. "What else?"

"Sir, Liu Wei also invaded Gongmen, on the same night as us. I think he knew about it as well, but his group's raid was more violent," piped up a dhole.

"I see. And what of the swans?" The topic of the waterfowls made some nervous; and they tried very hard to hide their discomfort, barely succeeding.

"I heard they were brought to the Tower safely," answered Nian Gao. "However, I'm pretty sure they'd remain."

"Oh? Well then"—Shen strutted closer to the group—"anything else?"

Silence was all he got, with a noticeable hint of hesitance. Their behaviour caused Shen to raise a brow suspiciously.

"Anything else?" Shen reiterated.

"U-uh, ha ha. . ." Nian Gao scratched the back of his head nervously. Announcing their injured guest turned out to be a little harder compared to the mind's projection of their peacock boss. Shen's eyes began to intensify in impatience. He would know what they couldn't utter eventually.

The albino's head tilted heavenwards as he called out, "you may come out, Li Hung!"

Landing on the ground was the pigeon messenger, nodding upon meeting his leader's gaze.

"Are what they speak of true?" Shen asked. Li Hung nodded in confirmation. "What about their reluctance to answer?"

"They hide something, Lord Shen," was all the pigeon said. Of course, Shen wasn't stopping at that response.

"Do clarify, messenger."

The pigeon cleared his throat.

"Ah, well—"

"P-please follow us first, milord!" interrupted Nian Gao. He scrunched his brow in feigned confidence as he looked at an irate Shen. "We have something to show you. I-I think that's what Li Huang is referring to when we can't speak."

Shen huffed and nodded for the group to move, but in reality he only needed one person to lead him. They complied anyway; and for confirmation of the truth, Shen had Li Huang remain. Before heading to the shack they dropped off their sacks, while some of the men wished them a continuous life. Not wanting to risk an early death, some even went elsewhere to escape the wrath of an ex-warlord. The group stopped just outside the shack, now newly cleaned out. It wasn't too small, but the size of a room in a house—suitable for one occupant such as the swan inside. Raising a brow at the small building, Shen glanced at the group with hidden bafflement.

"The shack? We've had this for a whi—"

"A-actually, it's what's inside, milord," interrupted Nian Gao. Shen glared at the weasel angrily.

"Do not interrupt me!" The weasel nodded his head vigorously.

"Y-yes, sir."

Shen turned his head back to the door, and said, "Now, what is this that Li Huang was about to say?"

Everyone took a large step back, all except for Nian Gao. They gulped, hoping the best for the young weasel. Said weasel put on a mask of bravery, as if he was about to enter a beast's chamber. Shen only waited, wings hidden in his sleeves but clenched impatiently; he wasn't one for dealing with patience easily—it was surprising he waited so long to enact his plans on Gongmen a half-year ago. Li Huang, on the other hand, kept himself relaxed and perched on a boar's shoulder. Of course, he soon flew towards the peacock and weasel, as he has to be the judge. The group waited fearfully as Nian Gao opened the door, which caused a creak. For Shen, he found the tension unnecessary and annoying, but he kept silent.

Nian Gao fully opened the door, eyes widening slightly in surprise as he scanned the newly cleared shack. Those who cleaned the interior had done a surprisingly quick and efficient job; and with just a few more additions it would look like an actual room, minus the cobwebs that remained in the corners and a part of the window. For a shack it was quite spacious, but for a room it was small. Where they had placed the weapons that once ate up the space, Nian Gao did not know, but he would ask about it later—that is, if he made it out alive. He just hoped Shen would be a little more lenient like he was on some occasions, which was an odd behaviour for him during the past couple of months.

In the small bit of room laid their guest, unconscious as usual. Her bandages seemed to be new and clean, as it lacked the blood stains that seeped through during their final moments of travel. Instead of her tarnished clothing, she was wrapped in a blanket to keep her warm. Nian Gao winced a little as he recalled her wounds. It was only a stab wound from what would most likely be an arrow, as well as slash marks, but it definitely didn't help the waterfowl at all. The weasel stepped forward and inspected her, then turned to see Shen's reaction—it wasn't good. Shen's eyes bore on both the swan and the weasel, blood-red orbs seeming to darken dangerously. The peacock turned to Li Huang, who only nodded before exiting hurriedly.

"You brought a stranger?" he whispered, anger rising.

"M-most likely from Gongmen, considering the short distance between there and the place we found her. But, sh-she was very much hurt, milord!" protested Nian Gao, silently so as to not wake their guest.

"Follow me outside," beckoned the peacock, stepping outside the shack.

Nian Gao gulped, quivering as he exited the storage unit. He shut the door, but then felt like melting where he stood as Shen's glare bore holes on him.

"You idiot! Do you not know what you just did?! You brought in a stranger, a complete stranger who is not supposed to be here!" the peacock yelled. Shen paced around the weasel, while the group near them stood in fear, saying mental prayers and trying to think of something else. "She could expose this place—expose us!" Had the grass not been able to silence Shen's talons, the group would've bolted halfway across the country just to quell their growing fear. A blade poked out of the peacock's sleeve threateningly, while said avian's glare only hardened. "Fool! Have your parents not taught you to bring strangers in?!" Shen yelled furiously.

"I—I . . ."

Shen then turned to Li Huang. The pigeon backed up a little as the peacock's glare was focused on him.

"And you! You never told me there were _three_ of them!" The peacock referred to the swans as he yelled at the smaller bird.

"I never s-saw her, sir. Just the white ones," replied Li Huang. Both he and Nian Gao squeaked as Shen's throwing knives missed their foot by just an inch. Shen leaned closer to them as they clutched each other with timorous shakes.

"Keep a better eye on things then, squab." Shen's gaze moved to the young weasel before him. "And you will take responsibility of the swan—after all _you_ were the one who took her in. If she is to spill information about us, then kill her. If not"—Shen moved closer until his beak was mere inches from Nian Gao's muzzle—"I'll kill her myself when I find out," he finished quietly, which added more threat in his tone.

The pigeon and weasel nodded their heads vigorously. While Nian Gao felt fearful for himself, a part of him was worried for the black swan just meters away. He had to inform her of her new situation once she woke up. Everyone else darted their eyes awkwardly, trying to keep their focus somewhere else; and unfortunately their attempts where of no use.

Then all of a sudden Shen pointed a new knife at Nian Gao's throat dangerously. The weasel's lower lip quivered.

"My orders are clear, right?" Nian Gao nodded, then Shen did the same with Li Huang. In the end Shen huffed and turned away from the group.

"Find some use for her once she awakens. If she has no use here then she definitely doesn't belong. Death will be the only option if she plays no role—I cannot have her spill everything to the public," he instructed, before heading back to the decrepit house.

Nian Gao let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. The others near him did the same, relieved to still have their lives intact. Li Huang shook his head and decided to leave for a calming flight. While everyone knew of Shen's notorious deeds—and ones similar to their previous leader—the peacock was more preferable compared to working under Liu Wei. Unlike the lynx, Shen definitely had a potential to better himself, but Nian Gao and everyone else were just unsure as to when that moment would occur. Liu Wei, on the other hand, had villainy ingrained in his head since he was a mere kitten. However, what had just occurred was one of those doubtful moments—was it worth swearing their allegiance to the infamous Lord Shen? There was an ambivalence among the crowd, but in the end they decided it was better than working under Liu Wei.

As everyone dismissed themselves and went their own ways, the young weasel stared at the shack's door. For a moment his gaze remained there; and only until everyone left did he also take his leave. Nian Gao just hoped the swan would take the news easily.

* * *

What once kept a fire alive was now burnt out, wood ashen and charred black. There was still some smoke, but it bothered no one in the darkness of night. The entire camp was asleep, some once thinking about what had transpired hours ago before falling into a dreamless state. Everyone—all in tents or sleeping under the moon and stars—except for one.

Shen walked out of the house quietly, trying not to disturb any nearby sleepers. The peacock strolled through the grassy field, a contrast compared to the dark blues of night. He thought of his next move, his goal, as well as the problem of having a possibly untrustworthy stranger in the area. It was only then that Shen realized he stopped right outside the shack. An exasperated groan escaped from him.

"Might as well check on her," he spoke to himself. For all he knew the swan could be awake and planning a letter to later send to Gongmen's government, but that was absurd. But it was still something Shen didn't want to risk.

The peacock entered the shack, ignoring the audible creak from the door. In the middle of the small space, still asleep, laid the swan. She remained unconscious and still as a rock, oblivious to the world. Although injured, the moonlight from the small window bathed the swan in an eerily beautiful glow. It reminded Shen of the times he wished he had colours that were just as vibrant as his father's, but those were hopeless thoughts. With the help of the moon, the black swan's feathers seemed to shine in colours unseen during the day. Shen, on the other hand, only had white with hints of black and red on his train; and they remained the same during both the day and night cycle. Shen snorted as he shook away the envious thoughts—and of an injured, unconscious female at that.

Silently, the peacock neared the swan for better inspection. He figured her injuries were possibly around her sides or wings, considering the likely areas for most injuries he'd receive and the unscathed head and neck.

_Hm, what relations does she have to Gerard and Lorelei?_ wondered Shen as his blood-red eyes scanned the swan's unusual colouring.

His eyes caught something off, nonchalant gaze landing on a stray feather on the swan's cheek. To satisfy the perfectionist within him, he fixed the stray feather. He jumped as one of his primary feathers touched the waterfowl, static coursing through his wing upon the contact. Shen huffed and quickly fixed the feather, nodding approvingly at the arranged black feathers—faint hints of deep, dark blues revealed from the moonlight. All of a sudden, the swan's eyes slowly blinked open, revealing bright, ruby-red pools. The peacock looked at her eyes, entranced. Both pairs of red met, until eventually one shut again. A sigh escaped the swan, once again unconscious. Shen could only raise a brow as he thought over what had just occurred. He rolled his eyes and shrugged, beginning to exit the shack.

"How odd," Shen groused, staring at the only occupant in the building.

Seeing her alive and recovering in the former warlord's hideout was already something quite peculiar. Back then he would kill those he captured either immediately or shortly after an interrogation or failed ransom. Nowadays he'd send threats or purposely miss his target as consequences or punishments. Odd indeed.

_I'm growing soft if I let a stranger in without death or punishment,_ he thought, closing the shack's door. The peacock surveyed the camp before flying off towards the mountains.

Hours later came the raising of the sun. This time morning didn't come easily for Shen, having been up and moving throughout a good portion of the night. He normally rose early, so that didn't help either. The peacock grumbled to himself as he buried his head into his sleeves and blankets, trying to avoid the streams of sunlight peeking through the curtain-less window. Eventually he got up and did his mourning routine, before once again stopping at the shack. Thankfully he'd keep the embarrassment to himself, as everyone else still remained fast asleep.

Shen entered the small building, gaze focusing on the swan. The darker bird didn't budge as the creak echoed throughout the small space. She also remained as if nothing had happened last night. The only change was her slight shivering due to the morning temperature, which Shen ignored.

The albino thought of the possible jobs for her, mainly the ones expected of her gender. Roles such as cleaning, cooking, sewing, as well as others came to mind—maybe she could do all of the above. Regardless, the swan needed a role if she were to stay—the world wasn't free, and that applied to Shen's hideout, too. Well, she was of noble lineage if she were to come with two of Gongmen's known noble swans; and for all Shen could know she probably only had the single talent of admiring her own reflection. Shen hoped that wasn't the case, or else he would simply kill her, for he had no use for vain and useless women. He looked at the window, only now realizing how much time he had spent pondering and staring at the other avian.

The bright-blue sky was filled with sunshine and some clouds, signifying a bright and full morning. It wouldn't be long until the others would wake, so Shen left the swan and entered the largest tent. Unlike the smaller tents, it served more as a planning station—blueprints of weaponry and other literature scattered about on the table in the middle. There were also small, old shelves beside it. If the space wasn't for planning then it was a small library; it housed surviving scrolls from several of the abandoned villages that Shen had explored. A small lantern hung from the roof, lit shortly after Shen entered. Only the albino peacock himself was allowed inside, unless he allowed permission for the others' entry.

Clips were attached to the entrances of the tent by the peacock, which acted similarly to locks for doors. Shen then sat behind the table, looking through his plans and a small sketch of his cannons. After several moments of pondering, Shen's focus shifted to another thing near him. A nod came from him as he decided on his next moves.

He removed everything from the table until not a piece was left. Then, he lowered his pale form and carefully dug through a small shelf beneath the table, holding more scrolls. At the very back sat a small box, locked with two keys that only Shen had—one extra in case he lost the other. Somehow he didn't lose it as he was being carried by the river all those months ago, but he was rather glad. The white rabbits were kind to return it to him the same time he got his robe back, but thankfully they didn't snoop. The peacock brought the box close and settled it on the cleared table.

The peacock took out one of the keys, inserting it and unlocking the box. The only contents were three photos, all of which were very important. They were painted by a professional and given to him for free, the payments already made. Shen took out the two photos—one showing his three-year-old self on the soothsayer's head; and one showing his seven-year-old self with Gerard and Lorelei, a few days before they left and remained in Germany for ten years. Both of the swans had visited him and his parents the year before he committed his big crime, and a part of him was thankful that they did not have to witness his banishment.

Lord Gerard and Lady Lorelei were like the uncle and aunt he never had, as his real ones were either deceased or someplace unknown or unmentioned. They also shared a close relationship with his parents—he even recalled making clips out of his feathers and blue ribbons with his mother and giving it to Lorelei as a present, back when his down was starting to be replaced.

"I wonder what she did with it," Shen mused, stroking his chin in thought. He shrugged and moved on.

Then there was the third photo, the largest of the three. Painted on it was a little Shen and his parents, back in his peachick days. Their smiles were a complete contrast of what their relationship had become seventeen years later. Of all the photos, the third was the most precious to him. Yes, Shen loved his former nanny as if she were a second mother, but it didn't replace the bond he had with his blood. The favour he once had for his parents, however, didn't replace the strong relationship he had built with the soothsayer. Still, a parent's bond with their child was strong if nurtured right. Shen sighed as he stared at each of the photos. It was a miracle that they survived the waters of the river, or even stayed dry. The box was definitely nice.

Upon hearing the growing sound of chatter, Shen returned the photos to their place and tucked away the locked box in his robe—considering all the weapons he hid in his clothes, hiding a small box was no problem—deciding to bring it to his room later. He sniffed the lantern's flame and unclipped the tent, then took a slow intake of breath.

"Another new day in this world I live in," he whispered.

It was also a new day with a new addition. Again, Shen was thankful for being the only person awake during his time in the shack. His men would definitely find it suspicious, and he certainly didn't want any talk about it.

Shen shook his head and sighed. He stepped out of the tent and was greeted by the daylight.

* * *

**A/N: Ahh yes, finally—_finally_ they met, well, at least one of them did. Well that's all I really have to say right now, since most of my thoughts have been summarized and stated last chapter (which was released at around the same time as this). Have a good day/night to y'all! :)**


	10. Black Sees White

**A/N: Let the romantic development commence (I mean, it started last chapter, but whatever)! Muhahahahaha! Not that long, but really there was nothing else to add since it overall met the plan's criteria. Again, sorry for the noticeable errors, such as the possible unintentionally glued-together words. Anyway, I apologize if I kept you all waiting—life issues and all, but I'm sure you'd understand. Well, enjoy! :)**

**Anonymous Reviewer Response**

**Guest: Thank you so much! When it comes to updates, I'm trying to go at my own pace so I feel freer. Busy times are coming for me for the next two or three months, but updates will remain sporadic but steady; I'll try to make my chapters good to make the waiting worthwhile. Again, thank you for checking this story out! :)**

**Disclaimer: _Kung Fu Panda_ belongs to _DreamWorks Animation_.**

* * *

Chapter 9 – Black Sees White

* * *

Nyx groaned as she squinted her eyes. She wondered how long she was out, as her body felt very stiff from the lack of motion. The only thing she could remember was a white blur, but it was most likely a dream. Sunlight came through a small window, making it a little painful for her eyes. It was then that she heard a shuffle near her, piquing her interest. As Nyx's vision began to clear, she could make out a small, brown figure beside her. Ruby eyes settled on a weasel that was fidgeting with a rag. He smiled awkwardly as his gaze met the swan's.

"M-may I ask who you are? And where am I?" asked Nyx, groggily. The weasel jumped a little.

"O-ooh! I'm sorry, my name is Nian Gao. And uh, you're at our hideout!" answered the weasel.

"Nian Gao . . . all right. How long have I been out?" Nyx asked, voice getting clearer.

"Five days," was the weasel's response. Nyx wrapped the blanket around her tightly, looking down thoughtfully; she ignored the numb pain from the action. If there was one thing obvious, Nyx was far from Gongmen City—at least, she thought so anyway.

"Is this that Liu Wei's hideout?"

Nian Gao shook his head vigorously, as if disgusted by the thought.

"No, no! We're nowhere near him! Though my friends and I once worked under him, we escaped his clutches and work under someone else now," he answered. Nyx nodded.

"I see." The swan then felt a slight vibration in her abdomen. She clutched her stomach as she thought of food. Nyx's gaze returned to Nian Gao. "Is it all right if I have something to eat?"

"Oh, of course!" Nian Gao scampered out to prepare some food.

Nyx sighed and laid her head on the blanketed floor. Her body felt bare of any clothes, so her bandages and blanket was her only cover. It was quite a shame since she was starting to appreciate her hanfu, but she hoped one of the group members like Nian Gao had the kindness to wash it. She then felt for her clips, which unfortunately, was no longer attached to her head. A slight panic washed over Nyx as she fumbled around her head for at least a bell or a ribbon or a white plume. Alas, it was just her black feathers on her head. The swan sighed dejectedly, knowing she lost something valuable to both her mother and the late Lady Mei. Nyx shook her head—she would ask for it later. The swan wobbled in an attempt to stand, but failed as she fell rather painfully on the ground. With the pain of her wounds, it wasn't a painless fall.

Nian Gao entered holding a bowl of soup. Nyx perked up in interest as she eyed the steaming contents.

"Can't have you starve, eh?" Nyx took the bowl gratefully, nodding as she blew on a spoonful of soup.

"Thank you," she said, sipping the warm liquid. Her beak tilted upwards as she took in the flavours. "It tastes nice. Did you make this?"

Nian Gao nodded proudly.

"Yep! It's part of today's breakfast, along with some bread and fish. Oh, and I also got you some bread." The weasel presented a chunk of bread, which Nyx eyed eagerly. She thanked him as she snatched the bread and nipped on it, completely ignoring the soup. Nyx adored bread, that much was certain. She was also pretty sure that the waterfowls were stereotypically associated with a love for bread, but regardless she loved it.

"You said that this was for breakfast?" asked Nyx, finishing her soup with a final sip. Nian Gao nodded. The black swan hummed thoughtfully. "So would that mean it's morning? Or rather, you just reheated this?"

"It's morning," replied the weasel. "If it were not morning then every single piece of the food presented would be gone. My teammates can be rather voracious, you know."

"Ah." Nyx gently handed the bowl to Nian Gao, who took it happily. "Thank you for the food, Nian Gao. It was a delectable meal for me—something my stomach never had for a week, I'm sure."

Nian Gao chuckled and began to make his way out of the shack.

"You're definitely welcome! It's good to help out others every now and then!"

"It is. Well, I should let you continue with your routine. I'll just have a nap before heading out . . . if you have any clothes for my body type, that is."

The young weasel pondered about the swan's request.

"Clothes? Oh, um . . ." Nian Gao fiddled with the spoon hesitantly. "Your hanfu . . . it's still being patched up. It was newly cleaned, but with the damage you've taken, a part of it tore apart."

Nyx merely nodded in understanding.

"I suppose I'll compromise. I'll wear the blanket as a robe then." The swan then remembered something. "Oh, and do you know where my clips are? They're quite valuable to me. They're made of white plumes, secures with a blue ribbon each with two golden bells adorning them."

Nian Gao's ears twitched in surprise. It was a bold move for Nyx to wear nothing but some bandages and a blanket, especially in an all-male crowd. Did she not fear them? Or for that matter, would she even be embarrassed if she were to fly away without her robe in an attempted escape?

This woman . . . ! the weasel thought to himself. He then started to shift around a little fearfully. I wonder if Lord Shen will approve of her then. She could make a good addition to us, and as the first female too.

But then the weasel returned to the swan's question.

"Your clips—uh, they may have fallen out. I haven't seen them since I first saw you, or haven't noticed much," the weasel answered, but remained fidgety and awkward. Nyx tilted her head as she noticed the mammal's nervous movements.

"Is something the matter?"

"Y-yes actually. It's just . . . why? Aren't you worried of what we might do to you? And shouldn't you be scared?"

The black swan curved her neck into an arch, head resting on her blanketed chest. She sighed, as if the answer was obvious, which only increased Nian Gao's confusion.

"If you all really meant any harm to me, you either would have left me to bleed to death or you would have killed me in my state of comatose," Nyx pointed out.

"B-but what if some of us have a secret plan to eliminate you?"

"You're right about that, but again, I would have been killed when no one was near me—being unconscious made me a vulnerable and easy target."

Nian Gao sighed and hugged the bowl. He then looked at Nyx apologetically.

"Actually, the killing part is true. It's not us you should fear—but in my opinion you should still be wary of us since as strangers we could do anything to you—it's our leader you should take heed to," began the weasel. Nyx stared at Nian Gao interestedly. "Our boss—he threatened to kill you if you served no purpose to us. He would have you killed if you leave us, because for all we know you could leak info of us to the public; and he also wants everyone to play a role here since he wants no one useless in the hideout.

"So either way is death. You leave or try to escape—death. You have no duty in this camp—death! Although we find service under him better than Liu Wei, he can be just as cruel as that Lynx," Nian Gao finished.

"Who is this leader of yours?" Nyx asked. Nian Gao shook his head and opened his mouth to answer.

"Oh, he's Lo—"

"Nian Gao! We gotta get to training!" someone called from outside the shack. The weasel sighed and smiled apologetically.

"Well, I gotta go. Schedule is pretty strict over here." Nian Gao waved and left with the dishes, while Nyx tucked her head in her back and napped.

* * *

Shortly after stacking the dirty dishes, Nian Gao dashed towards his group. They stood patiently, all except for Shen.

"And what took you so long?" demanded the peacock, raising a brow questioningly.

"Milord, I was just giving the swan breakfast," answered the young weasel.

"Oh?"

"U-uh, yes. She recently woke up, and so I decided to give her some breakfast." Shen smirked upon the news.

"Ah. Her role shall be decided very soon then." Shen then sent a glare towards everyone else. "Get together and start sparring! Now!"

Everyone saluted and divided into groups or pairs, while Shen overlooked their progress with judging eyes.

* * *

It was already afternoon when Nyx awoke. Once she became fully conscious, she decided it was time to head out. Nyx knotted her blanket to form a robe. She clacked her beak in approval as she inspected the secure robe; for extra measures she snatched the blanket on the ground and wore it as a cloak. The swan slowly opened the door and peaked her head out, scanning the area curiously. There were some boars and weasels scattered around, most of which looked like Liu Wei's men but we're certainly not. One dhole sat under a tree, polishing his weapons and armour. If she wasn't told of their allegiance, she would have thought she was at the old lynx's base.

Nyx fully exited the shack and shut the door. She fiddled with the knot of her coat as majority of the mammals' eyes settled on her. With a sigh, Nyx strutted towards a large tent that stood amongst several smaller ones. It the one of the few things that stood out, so the swan decided to check it out. Everyone kept their eyes on the swan and inspected her like a hawk would with its prey. Needless to say, it was rather uncomfortable for the waterfowl.

"Nyx! Nyx!" called Nian Gao, who was running at her happily. He panted upon reaching the swan.

"Good afternoon," greeted Nyx, nodding her head.

"Oh, good afternoon, too! Anyway, we should decide what you can do. I mean, you can remain up now, right?" the weasel said, while the swan nodded.

"A little sore, but I'm sure I can manage to work with some menial chores," Nyx replied. Nian Gao brightened happily and began to drag the swan. The swan flinched as her robe began to loosen. "A-ah, careful with the blankets. I didn't have much to secure them." Red tinted Nian Gao's cheeks as he nodded in understanding. Nyx stopped beside a tree and tightened her robe under the shade. "It was either stay in the shack all bored and impatient until someone has the courage to give me clothes or satisfy my curiosity with some compromising with my blankets," she explained as she finished a knot on her cloak.

"S-sorry."

"It's all right. Go on now, what chores do you speak of? And"—Nyx's beak tilted upwards sheepishly—"may I have a tour of this place? If I am to stay here then I might as well get to know it, no?"

All Nian Gao could do was look at her with a bewildered expression.

"Are you not scared at all?"

"Maybe, but if I leave I die, right?" Nyx was not stupid, but she wanted to escape anyway. She had to play it right, or her mistakes would indeed lead her with a lifeless, mangled body. Once she was in a decent condition to fly, she would escape and fly back to Germany with her parents. It was cowardly, but in such a dangerous time, Nyx couldn't help but think it; her plan was thought up shortly after she rose for the , however, something logical for someone is the risky thought of "do or die." Nian Gao stared at the seemingly nonchalant swan, nodding slowly in reluctance.

"You do know you'll be here for possibly forever, right?" Nyx nodded.

"That is . . . possible, but I won't think it now. I suppose I'll just be as useful as I can for you all," responded the black swan. Nian Gao cleared his throat.

"A-anyway, let's get started, shall we?"

"Definitely."

Everyone once again focused on their work, while Nian Gao and Nyx walked around the village. Of course, more stares focused on the two as they walked, as they haven't seen the swan up and moving yet.

"So, what can you do?" inquired Nian Gao.

"Well . . . I know I can cook decently, as it was something necessary for me back then. I can also clean and"—Nyx sighed—"pretty much just regular house chores. However, I cannot sew too well."

"Oh, okay. How good is your cooking? I don't think you really need to clean over here—the village is already pretty battered up and dusty," the young weasel wondered.

"Shall I have you test me? That is, if you don't mind showing me where you prepare the food."

"Right away! But first, let's get this tour over with," suggested the weasel. The two then continued with their stroll around the base, which wasn't too eventful aside from the states of the soldiers.

As Nyx walked past a house—and the only one standing—she swore she felt a pair of eyes on her. It gave her chills, because the feeling from that gaze was close to malevolent. Nyx's belief in ghosts was rather weak, but what she saw and felt certainly seemed like something paranormal. The swan shook it off and moved on, and yet the curiosity remained. Later the swan and weasel stood by a cauldron, testing the former's culinary skills. Bubbles popped loudly as the soup boiled; and vegetables and chunks of meat were floating in the mixture. Nyx wasn't too versed in cooking meat, as she had a vegetarian diet with her herbivorous parents both in Italy and Germany. Of course, the swans were fine with very small chunks, but it was mostly fruits or veggies.

Nyx stirred the contents slowly—with her good wing, as the other was very much injured—then requesting for the weasel to extinguish the cauldron's heat source. Nian Gao obliged and put out the fire, which would later be rekindled in the evening once dinner rolled in. Both tasted the soup—one approving and deciding to give the role of a new cook, the other lost in thought. The swan thought back to the eyes in the house, and soon enough curiosity took over her mind.

"Nian Gao," began Nyx, "is there anyone who currently resides in that house?"

"The only house that still stands in the village?" asked Nian Gao, as if it weren't an obvious fact. Nyx nodded. "Yes, actually. Our boss is the only one who stays there."

"Who's your boss?" questioned Nyx, recalling the interrupted talk hours prior.

"E-eh—err, with where you just came from, it'll be a little hard to believe."

"Do tell, Nian Gao. He is your leader, and if I am to stay with my life on the line then I have to at least know him," Nyx insisted.

Nian Gao nodded, leaning in and whispering, "Our new leader is none other than Lord Shen."

Nyx's eyes widened slightly.

"Lord Shen? The Lord Shen that was once heir to Gongmen City's throne?"

Nian Gao nodded in confirmation. Nyx could only look at the weasel, befuddled. All her parents said was that he was exiled many years ago, presumably dead. She also had a feeling Po and the others were associated with the peacock, but their friendship wasn't strong enough to hear the full story. And so, the swan assumed the peacock died during his exile . . . or maybe after. Nyx's parents definitely didn't give all the details, as she recalled a hesitance in their narration. If she made it out unscathed, she would have to ask about it later.

The black swan was shaken out of her thoughts when she heard a scraping sound on the concrete platform. Frankly, it was an irritating sound, but it was definitely a good way to catch one's attention. Nyx turned her head and saw a snowy-white peacock, holding the same gaze as the one from the house. That definitely confirmed Nyx's presumptions; it was Lord Shen in the house, and he was anything but dead.

Ruby landed on pools of blood, but it wasn't a warm exchange. Nian Gao shifted uncomfortably.

"Milord, it's g-good to see you," greeted the young weasel, nervously.

"Yes, yes." Shen waved his wing uncaringly. His eyes landed on the weasel. "Has the swan chosen a role yet

"It's Nyx, Lord Shen," the swan replied. "Nian Gao and I decided that I would best be one of the cooks for the camp."

The albino ignored the swan, eyes remaining on the young weasel before him.

"I expect you to take responsibility of her. You took her in, so be a good weasel and face it," Shen said. Upon the realization, Nyx sent a grateful look towards Nian Gao, but glared at the peacock irritatedly. She moved up to him, stopping just a few feet from his form.

"I am not a mindless pet, _Lord Shen_," the swan spat. "Nian Gao may have taken me in, but I am responsible enough to look after myself."

Shen leaned his head closer to the swan, eyes narrowing dangerously. Nyx couldn't help the shiver that ran down her spine—the peacock's gaze was certainly threatening; it was a wonder she still wasn't shaking fearfully.

"Who gave you the right to speak to me like this?"

"I am not under you—not if I work here," replied the swan. Nian Gao merely looked between the two birds anxiously.

"Yes"—Shen smirked and pointed a knife directly at Nyx's throat—"and you certainly can't serve under me if you're dead." The swan flinched at the peacock's sheer speed. He was definitely capable of combat, that much was obvious. "I'm sure you have been informed of your situation. If you have any doubts about Peng's words, then I'll have you know they're all true." Their beaks were mere inches apart. If Nyx weren't in such a life-threatening and intimidated position she would have found their closeness rather awkward. "You will be killed if you dare escape and spill anything about us to the world. Death will also be waiting at your doorstep if you prove to be a useless case in this hideout," Shen finished coldly.

A breath that Nyx didn't know she was holding escaped her as the peacock hid his knife. She recalled the risk required to be free, so regardless she would stick to her secret plan. If she died, she hoped her parents were strong enough to deal with the news. Shen turned around and began to step down the platform.

"Find other things to do, the both of you. And Peng, keep the swan in control," ordered Shen as he walked away.

"Never knew he held that much air of threat and malevolence," noted Nyx. Similar to Liu Wei, turned to the young weasel beside her, who was unresponsive. The swan's expression became that of concern. "Nian Gao?"

"I hate it when he calls me that," whispered Nian Gao, under his breath.

"Why?" wondered Nyx, tilting her head curiously. The weasel sighed.

"Since I was a kid people made fun of my name. I was named after a rice dish, so that was a good enough reason to attract the bullies. Then when I started serving Liu Wei, my comrades—the good ones—welcomingly accepted me; that continued after we switched leaders. When Lord Shen denied my name I—it stung badly. My boss, who was even better than Liu Wei and had potential to be a better person, couldn't see me as . . . me! Being one raised in a kind family, I grew up with a positive outlook on the world, but that also made me sensitive," Nian Gao explained. He rubbed his glassy eyes and smiled at the swan. "But I made it a goal to receive Lord Shen's approval. I'm just hoping he'll one day accept me, so I try my best to be a great member of the team."

She didn't know why, but guilt began to flow through Nyx's being. Upon the revelation of Nian Gao's act of saving her, she already knew he was a good person. His explanation only backed it up. If there was more people like him in the camp, it made Nyx feel bad for leaving them to serve a genocidal, thought-to-be-dead peacock. The swan then shook the thought away. Already she was feeling something for the place, but she would have to leave it to get her fragile parents and herself to safety and leave the battle to the masters; for all she knew they could be slowly dying from the loss, just like Shen's parents. Nyx placed a comforting wing on Nian Gao's shoulder.

"I hope that Lord Shen—and the entirety of China and the world—will accept you for who you are," the swan said. "I was told that names were sacred to a person's identity in this country. However, generally speaking, names are what makes us who we are in the eyes of others, especially in the eyes of our parents."

Nian Gao nodded solemnly.

"It is."

Nyx turned around and stared at the hot soup. She wasn't just looking out for her parents' health and safety—no, she was also being selfish. It made her feel terrible, but that was just how the world was sometimes—a cold, hard place for those who cannot stand by themselves. The swan sighed.

"I'd like to see more of the things I can do here," Nyx requested. Nian Gao's eyes widened slightly, before nodding.

"O-of course! We'll also have your injuries checked later." The two covered the soup for dinner, then walked off someplace else.

_So that was Lord Shen,_ thought Nyx. _The son of Lord Qiang and Lady Mei. Very different from the peachick that my mother occasionally described, but he was just a little kid at that time. There are definitely some things wrong with him, but in the end it will matter little to me once I've left—alive, that is._

Again, a wave of guilt washed over the black swan. Nyx clutched the patch of cloth that covered her chest. A slave she now was, but if played it right, she would escape. But then, what about her new friends at Gongmen? Abandoning them to fight a nearing battle by themselves was a poor example of friendship. What about Lord Shen? He could also be planning something if he had such a group a fair distance away from the city. Already Nyx disliked him, but at least he wasn't forcing her into some silly, loveless marriage that a certain lynx was doing. The death threats, however, was a whole other case. Then there was the soothsayer—a fragile, elderly lady caught in the crossfire of some ridiculous ambition. For some simple doubts and worries, it didn't take much until Nyx's mind was a maelstrom of thoughts. The swan shook her head.

_For my parents, _she assured. It wasn't just them that Nyx's plan was commencing for, that she knew, but also for her life that was dangling on a line—right above a pool of circling sharks.


	11. Veneer

**A/N: Before typing this I was seated close to the dining table with my recently finished spaghetti; and I was whispering to myself, "Oh boy this will be a fun chapter to type!" Turns out, it was (but i have a feeling the official second chapter, Distanced Lands, will be the longest. If not then yay for me for the future achievement; and oh this chapter is shorter)! One of the scenes I have been working on in my head for the past few weeks in the shower and while brushing my teeth, so it was relieving to be able to finally have it physically typed out. Shortly after posting the ninth chapter I began working on this, so it was finished in less than twelve hours today—but I spent most of my time locked up in my room typing this. However, I never really edited much of this so I'm sorry if you find some noticeable errors (if you have an account you can message me about it if it bothers you). Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter! And also, feel free to leave a review! :)**

**Disclaimer: _Kung Fu Panda_ belongs to _DreamWorks Animation_.**

* * *

Chapter 10 – Veneer

* * *

Three days passed since Nyx had awoken, with no complications thus far. During those past few days she had been very compliant, and she had taken to cooking duty quite well. But, what the swan really focused on was her healing wing. Nyx's wing had healed very well, but a noticeable soreness was felt whenever she used it. Ignoring the pain, she was good for flight. Her side had also recovered nicely—just some more healing and then the next months would be spent waiting for new feathers to grow. Soon it was time to leave the hideout, as much as the swan had grown used to it. Assimilation was quick for her, so soon she was quite used to the ruckus, but she mostly remained in her room when she was free.

And, since standing up for Nian Gao, Nyx never saw Shen. She only felt the chill that came with his presence, but overall she had never gotten another glimpse of the white peacock. It may not be true, but Nyx thought he was avoiding her, so he may not have gotten to once again seen her. The thought was relieving, since Shen was quite the threat to her. He was the real obstacle when it came to her successful escape; the others usually backed off and ignored her, but she knew they were no actual threat.

At the moment, Nyx was in her shack, while the others were in their tents or on the grass for the night. During the three days since the swan's awakening, the shack had also been given some changes. Nian Gao insisted on adding some small bits of furniture to make it seem more homey, albeit being damaged; thankfully the weasel fixed them a little to decrease hazards. There was also a small lantern hanging from the roof, which was used for lighting when the night was too dark. For the window, two straps of fabric were used as a curtain, which would be tied during the day. The only thing missing was a bed, but that was made up for with a small pile of extra fabrics and blankets used as a nest, unknowingly similar to a certain albino peacock's sleeping pile.

Nyx sewed together her blankets, making it into a more secure cloak compared to her first day. She had recently gotten back her newly-cleaned hanfu, courtesy of Nian Gao—sometimes Nyx thought the weasel was too kind to be in hiding with an evil, albino peacock—so thankfully she didn't have to worry too much about the robes. Unlike the first cloak, the new one had been revamped with pockets, just in case Nyx came across something useful to store. Whenever the swan wasn't working on it, the cloak would be kept hidden in a small drawer that also provided as a nightstand—again, courtesy of Nian Gao.

The swan glanced towards her open window, which streamed with starlight. Seeing as it was night, it was a good chance for Nyx to make her move. But first, she would have to finish her cloak; and thankfully it was early in the night, so she would have plenty of time for both that and waiting for everyone to fall asleep. Nyx fidgeted with her needle and thread using her good wing, then continued with her project.

Later into the night, Nyx finally finished with her cloak. She inspected it and nodded approvingly. Some stitches were out of alignment, but overall it was all right to wear.

"Perfect," she whispered. Sewing wasn't her forte, but it was necessary for clothing repair—apparently for escaping the watch of a former warlord, too.

Nyx packed away her sewing materials in a small leather sack, then tucked the sack away into one of her hanfu's pockets. The swan rummaged through her drawer and packed some bandages; she also took a dagger she snuck two days ago. It was light, so flight would be easy enough for her injured wing. Thankfully she had been practicing a little, so she was definitely capable of flight—she would have to take careful breaks though, lest she strain her wing. Taking a deep breath, Nyx clapped her wings on her cheeks in an attempt to calm herself. Then, she exited the shack as stealthily as she could.

The only problem with Nyx's plan was navigation. She knew little to nothing about the geography of where she was—that being the country in general, aside from Gongmen City and now the hideout's layout. Recently, however, she had been told of a lake nearby, so she would start her journey there. Being a waterfowl that had been swimming in bodies of water a good amount of times, it provided an advantage for Nyx.

Nyx clutched the map she had found last night. According to the detailed map of China, Gongmen City was leaning more towards the southeast—at the coast, considering that it had a harbour leading to the sea—while it seemed she was more up north, based on the slightly colder temperatures and the nearby forest that she connected with the map. In the end, she would have to travel north from where she stood, then hopefully she would make it to her destination. The swan tucked the map into her cloak and started towards the lake, saving her wings for later.

Soon Nyx reached the shores of the lake; smooth, round stones lining the edge. It was an enormous body of water, but it was also beautiful. The light of a waning gibbous only seemed to beautify the waters, casting an eerie shine. Nyx admired the natural beauty of the lake. If only she wasn't at the hideout due to such negative circumstances, then maybe she would have been able to enjoy it.

Nyx gulped as she sorted through her thoughts. She shook away her growing nerves and looked ahead in preparation for her flight.

* * *

Under the cloak of night, Nyx was not alone. At the very same lake stood another person, fully conscious and awake.

Shen eyed the still waters of the lake—it was one of the few nearby places that calmed him down—and contemplated on the recent days. Since seeing the swan's conscious self move about the village, one opinion remained with the peacock—audacious. The nerve of her for disrespecting him! Of course, Shen had been avoiding the swan ever since, so as to not accidentally kill the swan out of pure annoyance; he'd been trying not to kill his minions just so he wouldn't decrease their numbers, as well as maintain reason for being a better leader than that idiotic lynx.

Life in general had been well to Shen. His plans were slowly piecing together into something better than the last one. The forge was also being restored, which would soon serve as the place to produce the cannons. Shen would also make sure his men were skilled in combat, or else he might as well work alone than have hindrances.

The crunching of grass interrupted Shen's thoughts. He quickly leapt behind a tree when his eyes spotted a form emerging from the forest. His eyes landed on the black swan, Nyx, who strolled towards the lake's shoreline. It was definitely suspicious activity to be up at such an hour looking all packed and ready for . . . fleeing? Shen glared at the faint outline of items that were stuffed in the swan's cloak. Yes, Nyx was definitely escaping. However, that definitely wasn't going to slide with Shen.

"Ah, a legitimate reason for spilling blood," mused Shen, quietly. He exited his hiding spot and leapt up the trees, making little to no sound whatsoever. Thankfully, his movements went unnoticed by the swan.

The swan in before Shen spread her wings in preparation for flight, still unaware of the peacock behind her. From someone else's point of view, she would have looked like she was worshipping the moon, but Shen knew her true motives. When Nyx lifted into the air, Shen took out one of his rope darts and aimed for the swan. For a bird with a partially injured wing, the swan was quick with her takeoff. The peacock, however, had more skill, so his throws were usually never missed. Shen smirked as he eyed his target from the highest branch. Like the swan, Shen, too, spread his wings and launched himself for a short flight.

* * *

Nyx was ecstatic. So far her plan had been a success, with little to no hindrances. There was some pain radiating from her injured wing, but it was bearable enough for Nyx—she could glide once she reached the proper altitude. Her form flew through the lake, but only covering a short distance.

Ropes wrapped itself around Nyx's form, and soon her happiness vanished. The swan felt a faint poke, revealing to be the sharp blade of a dart attached to the rope. Nyx blanched through her dark feathers, knowing only one person who had rope darts in his arsenal. It was when she and Nian Gao were having a conversation about weapons once upon a cool morning, that she found out about the weapons several of the soldiers would use. If her thoughts were right, she would be very dead once she crash lands painfully into the lake's shore or grass.

Nyx looked down behind her, confirming her thoughts the moment her eyes landed on a smirking albino peacock. If Nyx could show the loss of blood through her feathers, she definitely would have turned just as white as the peafowl below her. Shen's blood-red eyes seemed to bore holes into her form, causing Nyx's wings to go weak in fear. Nonetheless, the black swan tried to fly away, flapping her wings frantically. Below her, Shen remained airborne just above the shoreline, tightly clutching the end of the rope in his wing. Suddenly, the peacock tugged, causing Nyx to fall. She gasped as Shen pulled her falling form back to the shoreline.

Wings aching tiredly, Nyx flapped and flapped. Now Shen just stood on the grass, wings still tugging on the rope. Nyx's attempts were useless, as Shen leapt back and pulled Nyx to the ground. She landed on the grass, gasping for breath. The swan turned back and saw Shen slowly approaching her.

"Well, well," began the peacock, "it seems someone has been going for a midnight flight. At this hour?"

Nyx glared as Shen stopped beside her aching form.

"And what if I simply couldn't sleep?"

"But I don't think it's just one of those restless nights," whispered Shen, leaning closely until his eyes met Nyx's. He grinned in satisfaction as he saw the fear in the swan's ruby depths. The swan was a terrible liar, that much was certain; it even showed in her eyes. "No one is suddenly packed up for travelling, especially on a night when _most_ are fast asleep." Shen then furrowed his brows and glared at the swan menacingly. "You know, you have quite the backbone—having the gall to talk back to me and now try to run away knowing full well of the consequences," he said.

"Well," said Nyx, "I have the drive, all right. My parents are in Gongmen City, probably crying their hearts out for me and slowly wearing down their hearts from the stress."

Shen's glare dropped, shifting into a look of confusion.

"Parents?" was the word that left the peacock's beak. Gerard and Lorelei?

Nyx nodded.

"Of Lord Gerard and Lady Lorelei. I'm sure you know them, right? My mother told me herself that she was like family to you."

_So they still visit Gongmen? Of course, this I knew of weeks prior, but it's still quite surprising. But knowing what I just did all those months—years ago? It's also quite a surprise that they have a daughter—and one of an odd colouration compared to them, but then there's me,_ contemplated Shen. Nyx looked at the peacock confusedly as he stared at her. Taking it as an opportunity, the swan tried to free herself, but was stopped when Shen clenched the rope with his armed foot.

Nyx could only inch away as the peacock smirked.

"Don't think I'm not that aware," he said. "After years with this kind of experience, it's practically like instinct."

Surrendering, Nyx bowed her head low. She knew when to quit, and this was one of those moments.

"Just kill me," she whispered. "You said death would come if I were to make an attempt to leave, right? And I just did. So what are you waiting for? Kill me!"

The swan looked at Shen angrily, determined to not die weak. By then, she was already shaking. Shen raised a brow at the younger bird. He began to think—kill or no kill? Then he decided.

"You know," the peacock began, "this scene is a little familiar. Months ago, a dhole sat before me, just like you, on the ground. He wanted death to come and take him quick, as he knew that the fight was over."

"Your point?"

Shen leaned closely, until their faces were mere inches apart—just like three days ago. This time, however, the peacock's eyes held no malevolence. Instead, there was something else, but Nyx didn't know what it was. But, it was definitely not evil; it made Shen's gaze seem oddly . . . alluring. The feathers on the swan's face rose as a light blush tinged her cheeks in embarrassment. However, it soon faded.

"Well?" she demanded, gaze averted from the peacock.

"I feel like it's time to try a different approach," finished Shen.

All of a sudden, something hit the side of Nyx's head. She fell on the ground, gradually losing consciousnesses. Her vision kept blurring and refocusing, repeating over and over until it settled for the former.

"Ah, so killing me with a punch instead of a blade is the new way," remarked Nyx, words slurred as nausea then took over. She released a short breath as she fell unconscious. Shen merely stared at the unconscious swan with a blank expression. Then a smirk crawled up his dark beak.

"Oh, no, not death," he answered. "You've proven to be a useful asset here. What you can do is not die but instead work as the pretty, little maid of the little, abandoned village."

The peacock's smirk then widened and shifted into a grin.

"I'm also sure Auntie and Uncle would be glad to have you returned nice and well when we set for Gongmen. Right now, they may be the only ones who can help me dominate this country." _Especially if there's a lynx posing as an obstacle, but they'd definitely choose me over that blasted Liu Wei._

* * *

It was when the sun rose that Nyx awakened; eyes blinking rapidly from the sunlight. She was on her nest of blankets, she realized. And, if it weren't for the finished cloak she still had on, Nyx would have mistaken last night for a mere dream. That and the peacock that sat in front of her. Nyx paused as she focused her gaze on Shen's form.

In front of her sat Shen, who was simply glaring at her with tired eyes.

"You're up," he mentioned, mostly to himself.

"So it seems," replied Nyx, clutching her aching head. Suddenly, the swan realized something—she wasn't dead. Shen probably had something worse planned for her, so she shook off the revelation and rested her head back on the rim of her nest. "What time of the day is it?"

Shen looked at her, puzzled. To be this casual with him, was something that has not happened in a while. Perhaps it was an act of surrender, or simply from the headache. Regardless, the peacock answered anyway.

"It's early morning . . ."

"All right," was Nyx's muffled response. Shen cleared his throat. Watching over possible suspicious acts from an unconscious swan wasn't something Shen didn't want to waste his time doing, unless done with reason. Of course, not fully, as Shen took a little nap a few hours ago, but nonetheless he was one sleep-deprived peacock.

"Get up," came his voice, speaking frankly. Nyx only shook her head groggily. Shen glared at the swan and stalked towards her. "You will unless you want to remain here forever, this time lifeless and unmoving."

The waterfowl sighed, then reluctantly rose from her position. With half-lidded eyes, Nyx glared at Shen.

"What do you want?" demanded Nyx, dully. The albino peacock before her huffed.

"As punishment for escaping, you will be the slave of this place. However, you will work with Peng—who is still asleep, but I'll inform him later—and follow only his and my instructions," explained Shen. His firm gaze met Nyx's. "Do I make myself clear?"

The swan nodded, before asking, "So, are you going to let me sleep away this headache or not?"

A sadistic grin plastered itself on Shen's beak.

"I'm afraid not, dear. With what you've just done, I'll have to pay close attention to you until everyone has awoken, lest you make another attempt to flee. And to add to that, you must work to make up for it."

"So what do you want me to do?"

"Make breakfast for everyone. That shall be your first job of the day. Next you will help clean and polish my men's armour and weapons, then you will assist in the making of lunch and dinner."

Nyx's eyes widened slightly, before returning to its half-lidded state. It wasn't big compared to what she did in the past, but it certainly had a risk of straining and maybe worsening her healing injuries even more. Perhaps she wasn't meant to return to her parents and Gongmen, not yet anyway. A voice that sounded like the soothsayer then lurked at the back of her mind, but it hurt to remember. The swan lightly shook her head. Moving past Shen, Nyx exited the shack and took in the cool early-morning air. It certainly eased her mind, but just a little.

Nyx began her little trip to the cooking platform, while Shen trailed shortly behind. By the time Nyx reached the platform, her headache had partially subsided. The swan prepared a flame, then set up the necessary materials on the stone table near it. All that resounded in the area were the sounds of vegetables being chopped and the metallic clinks of knives being fidgeted with. Despite the aching of her head and wing, Nyx was able to function decently enough to do her task. Just as the swan was finishing with transferring the food into bowls or plates—Shen was already starting on his breakfast, which he admittedly found to be delectable—another pair of footsteps was heard nearby. Putting out the fire, Nyx turned her head and settled her gaze on a slightly groggy Nian Gao.

"Good morning," greeted the swan, warmly.

"Good morning, Nyx," drawled the weasel, yawning tiredly. When his eyes landed on Shen, Nian Gao's back snapped straight and saluted the peacock. "G-good morning, sir!"

"Are the others awake?" was all that came from the peacock. Nian Gao nodded vigorously.

"Yes. In fact, they're about to come here and wait for breakfast"—the weasel glanced at Nyx, who was holding a tray of food—"but it seems I've been beaten to it."

"Well, you can help with the distribution of the food once they arrive." Shen waved his wing carelessly.

"O-of course."

"I'll also task you with making sure everyone is doing what needs to be done. Now if you'll excuse me"—the peacock set his empty wooden bowl on the table—"I'd like to get some deserved rest."

Once the peacock was out of earshot, Nian Gao asked, "Is Lord Shen all right?"

"Just needs some sleep," replied Nyx, shrugging. "He must have stayed up all night watching me."

Nian Gao raised a brow as he sent a questioning look towards the swan.

"W-what for?" Nyx sighed.

"Let's say I did something regrettable but necessary, and it failed." The swan looked away. She had to be honest, so it was now or never. "I made an attempt to flee this place."

"You what?!" the weasel exclaimed, eyes wide. "W-why?"

"With all that just happened to me in the past almost-two weeks, I wanted my life out of the danger zone. I also wanted to return to Gongmen City and see my parents, then return to Germany with them where it was safe. I know, it was selfish of me, but I . . ." Nyx shut her eyes and rubbed her aching head. "I'll tell you one day, maybe."

Nian Gao patted the swan's back reassuringly.

"It's all I can do—after all, you comforted me the same way when I was feeling down. And you don't have to rush yourself with revealing things, we've just met after all."

"Thank you, Nian Gao," the swan whispered.

The truth was, Nyx feared for her life and her parents'. She wanted to return to the city, knowing full well the damage the raid had done to her parents. It was when her mother spoke of their long separation a month ago that Nyx found out how much it had shattered her parents. But knowing she was in the clutches of evil hands, it would be too much for their aging hearts. To once again experience safety was something the black swan also wanted, but that may not be happening anytime soon—not with her current situation.

Nyx snapped out of her thoughts when others came into the picture; their eyes groggy and stomachs occasionally rumbling hungrily. The swan's beak tilted upwards in amusement as she greeted each one of them and handed out plates and bowls alongside Nian Gao.

"Surprisingly, you're not dead," piped up the weasel as he handed a dhole a bowl, "so what's your punishment?"

"Cooking breakfast, helping the others clean and polish their armour and weaponry, as well as helping you with lunch and dinner," was the swan's answer, handing the last plate to Li Huang. The pigeon thanked the swan as he left to eat. Nian Gao whistled, then his gaze shifted into sympathy.

"Sorry," he apologized, and Nyx shook her head.

"It's no problem at all," she insisted. Nian Gao nodded and took his portion to an empty patch of grass. Nyx, too, took her breakfast someplace else to eat.

Later throughout the day, Nyx sat with some of the men grouped together and helped them with their equipment, just as Shen instructed. As she continued with her to-do list, she started feeling guilty for last night's actions. Why? Because there were definitely others in the hideout that gave off a vide that were just as warm as Nian Gao's; and leaving them simply didn't stand by Nyx. Well, they were also quite the jokesters.

"So almost two weeks ago, I saw this lady selling fabrics in the city, right?" a boar said. Everyone nodded as they polished their equipment, while Nyx had her head tilted in interest. "I thought, 'Hey, she's pretty cute.' Then, I came up to her with a weird mask on and tried to play it cool, but she just brushed it off with a smile and talked like I was normal." The boar paused, before grinning. "It was then that I decided I fell in love with her, despite her ridiculously heavy makeup."

"Makeup? Or did you mean mask? I was there, you know," chirped a weasel. Minus Nyx, the group laughed.

"You fell in love with her?" questioned a dhole. "But didn't you just see her once?"

"True, true," replied the boar, "but I really do think I love her. Though I just gotta play it nice and steady, that is if I see her again."

Awkward chuckles were passed between each other. They knew that the boar's chances of seeing the sow was unlikely, but there was still a smidgen of it considering Shen's plans of returning to Gongmen City. The boar shook his head and looked at Nyx, who was simply polishing a helmet. Feeling that he wanted to include the swan, the boar spoke to her in a jovial tone.

"What about you, Nyx? Got anything good happen to you there?"

The swan turned to the boar confusedly, before realizing his question. It was the first time she was included in one of their conversations. Nyx shrugged, moving the rag in circular motions on the metal before her.

"I made some friends over there. I also got to try your culture's food. Residing in the Tower of the Sacred Flame was also quite the experience. A little gaudy for something unfinished, but beautiful nonetheless. In summary, it was nice," replied the swan. Everyone else nodded slowly as they heard Nyx speak. Then, they smiled at each other, before their gazes settled back onto the black swan.

"You've been pretty great so far," the boar said. "I have a feeling you won't be leaving us anytime soon."

"Is that so?" Nyx muttered to herself as she began to carefully polish a machete.

"Hey, betting week has also started," a weasel mentioned. All heads including Nyx turned to the weasel curiously. "Anyone have a bet to suggest?"

"What's betting week?" Nyx wondered.

"Betting week is this thing we made up, so it's only exclusive to us. Every month, a random week is chosen by any person in the camp—such as our friend over here—if they bring it up or suggest a bet. As the name suggests, the bet lasts for a week. In the end, the winner gets double their portion of meals for a week—taken from a part of everyone's own food of course—as well as a chance to pick one of us to be their slave for the week. The food is like the betting currency. You can vote a spoonful up to your day's meals," a dhole explained.

"What if more than one person wins?" asked Nyx.

"Then their increased portions will be divided, but the slave part remains the same."

"So everyone partakes in this week?"

The boar beside Nyx shrugged.

"If they want, but we all participate for the fun of it. The only one who doesn't is Lord Shen, since he finds this whole thing dumb," he said. The others snickered at the mention of the peacock. "You don't have to participate, Nyx. This thing is completely optional for you."

"I'll stay out of it then," decided Nyx as she set down the polished machete, which was also the last thing for her to work with. "But if you don't mind my asking, what are some of these bets about?"

"Usually it's similar to predicting the future," a weasel answered. "Such as betting on how many times Nian Gao gets yelled at by Lord Shen this week."

"BETTING WEEK!" announced the boar, loudly and randomly. Soon, everyone stopped what they were doing and spread the news before joining in. It wasn't long until the entire camp sans their peacock leader was gathered around.

"What's the bet?" asked Li Huang as he perched himself on Nian Gao's shoulder.

"It's how many times Nian Gao gets yelled at by Lord Shen," the boar answered.

"Hey!" came Nian Gao's offended voice.

"So, who's up for it?"

"I think it's better if we bet on who wins tomorrow's little tournament!"

"Oh yeah! I bet twenty spoonfuls of my lunch that I'll come out victorious!"

"Then I bet my entire dinner that Nian Gao will be the first to go down!

"Okay . . ."

Nyx eyed the intense conversation between the males, backing up slowly before leaving the crowd. If they wanted to, the group certainly could become quite the rowdy bunch, but they were all good people. Yes, at first they seemed a little wary of Nyx, even ignoring her sometimes, but when she got to know them a little they weren't bad at all. Like Shen, Nyx found betting week ridiculous, but she supposed it was their way of having fun in the dark world they lived in. Upon sliding down a tree, Nyx sighed as she sat in the shadows.

"Lively, aren't they?" From the corner of her eyes, Nyx spotted Nian Gao take a seat beside her. The swan averted her gaze to the sunny sky.

"Definitely," Nyx replied. "I question how such nice people are doing working under an evil person."

The young weasel shook his head.

"Unlike Liu Wei," Nian Gao began, "Lord Shen is definitely a better leader than him, and has been so far despite his misdeeds. You see, a long time ago Liu Wei took us from our families and raised us to be his loyal servants. His training was successful on some, but to others—that being the group currently under Lord Shen—it failed, but out of hopelessness they complied and played along.

"It was when Lord Shen came into the picture a few months ago that we decided to switch our allegiance. One day my group and I were at a village with Liu Wei. There we met milord, who was wandering about for unspecified reasons. When he angered Liu Wei, we were cued to attack and destroy the village. Then we were left for dead as Liu Wei and his fellow lynxes stood by the sidelines watching the place burn. In the end, Lord Shen escaped, but all that remained of our group followed him. We were nearly killed by milord alone—he was that strong compared to us—until we swore our allegiance to him. We knew who he was and we knew what we were getting into, but we had a feeling there was more to Lord Shen. If he was completely evil he would have killed us. If he was completely evil I don't think he would have made an effort to provide for us. Okay, maybe he's just using us, but we definitely see something in him that Liu Wei lacks."

"I don't think anyone in this world is completely evil," interrupted Nyx. "Even the darkest of hearts can have that bit of purity in them, but those considered bad just have the darkness overshadowing the good. That's simply how it is in this world."

Nian Gao nodded in agreement.

"Anyway, it has been great for us so far," the weasel continued. "We have our doubts about milord sometimes, but he's never killed anyone as of yet—he only throws us threats that may never be fulfilled. In all my ten years of service under Liu Wei, never before have we been treated decently enough that we feel almost free."

"Ten years?" Nyx's eyes were slightly widened. "How old are you?"

"I'm eighteen years old," Nian Gao answered, fiddling with his paws shyly.

"Eighteen!" the swan exclaimed. Nian Gao was definitely young, but Nyx knew not of his specific age. At that age, so many great things in the future would be waiting for him, but apparently that was taken away the moment he was enslaved by Liu Wei. Then again, Shen was around that age when he committed such a horrible life-altering crime, which she later found out about on her first day from overhearing some dholes. It was shocking to hear that discovery—it was no wonder he was banished. Back on topic, Nian Gao still had a lot ahead of him.

The two shifted topics and exchanged bits and details about each other. Adjusting wouldn't be easy, but with nice people around it just made things less harder. Nyx was right about one thing, however—they were not what they were originally thought out to be.

Later in the day Shen eventually got up and yelled at Nian Gao twice for the bet's first day, but Nyx would stop keeping track. After dinner her assigned duties were complete, so in the end the black swan rested in her shack to soothe her aching body; Shen ordered some of the men to take turns guarding Nyx during the night in case she were to sneak out again, so leaving was no longer an option unless if it was for a bathroom break. Regardless, all the swan had in her mind was a good night's sleep.


	12. Delivery Service

**A/N: Hello, readers! Sorry if it's been awhile (*checks invisible calendar), sixteen days to be exact. Like one of the previous updates I decided to make this a two-in-one post, meaning there will be two chapters in one update—to make the waiting seem worthwhile. Originally this chapter was supposed to be called "Inner Shell", but with the way things went the title just didn't fit. This new one, however, does seem a little humorous in my opinion, but I'm pretty sure it's anything but a comedic chapter . . . minus one part that may or may not affect the characters in a big way. And oh snap this chapter is almost as long as my longest both so far and the current longest in this story, but only coming short by a few hundred words (I'll get there . . . eventually)! **

**An out of topic thing, but I'd also like to give a shoutout to Be Prepared, Xiomara Laura, and KNS-1989 for their constant support (also check out Be Prepared's story, which is also a Shen fic)! Another extra love to the rest of the story's supporters—for following along with this! Well**** enough said, enjoy and do feel free to leave a review! :D**

**Disclaimer: _Kung Fu Panda_ belongs to _DreamWorks Animation_.**

* * *

Chapter 11 – Delivery Service

* * *

It wasn't every day that Shen had been plagued with strange dreams. No, it wasn't, but it had been occurring for the past several days already. Blurry images would appear at night, making him get up and leave for the mountains or lake for the entirety of the dark hours. One such night was after a week Nyx had been assigned as the new "maid" for the camp. Speaking of Nyx, Shen hadn't communicated with her much—that is, if constantly glaring at her during early hours counted. Recently betting week had also ended, which was a good thing considering the ruckus is always brings to the hideout; in the end Nian Gao won three bets made in the week—how many times he was yelled at, the tournament, and who spent the most time with Nyx. It was an altered betting week, but in the end it proved the young weasel's worth, but Shen would not admit it.

The peacock sighed as he curled up on a rock. He was in the forest for some peace, which he never got lately with his hallucinating mind. Voices would plague his head—familiar ones. Nights filled with the pleas of his parents, the ones who banished him and hated him. Again, it started.

_"Shen, don't leave us!"_ cried his mother, sobbing uncontrollably after.

"You never told me that when you betrayed me," muttered Shen, head tucked into his wing as he laid tensely on the rock. The peacock sighed as the voice eventually faded, until silence and the forest's song accompanied the darkness he saw.

For several moments the forest sang; leaves whooshing with the breeze, crickets chirping and

"Never thought I'd see you here," came a voice. Shen perked up and turned his head to see Nyx, who was holding a basket of fruits.

"Planning another escape, are we?" Shen unsheathed a feather-shaped knife and pointed it towards the nearby swan. "I may have let you remain alive as a slave, but don't forget I can kill you if necessary."

"No"—Nyx clutched the basket to herself and stared at a fruit—"I know you have the capability to kill me right here and now, but I just came out to get some snacks for the next few days."

"And what about the guards?" questioned the albino.

"Asleep," Nyx replied, shrugging. "You don't let them take turns, so in the end they sleep where they stand; it's fine for both of us since they know I won't leave this place anymore."

Shen huffed and hopped off his rock. If what what the swan said was true then a light punishment was in store for sleeping on the job. He glared at Nyx and stepped away.

"You better be telling the truth, or else you will be facing a harsher punishment. Now leave!" The peacock saw truth in the swan's eyes, so he knew Nyx wouldn't be dealing with any severe consequences. But then again, she did just leave out of nowhere. Shen smirked as he turned his head to look at the swan. "But, you are to prepare breakfast for everyone again in the morning. That is punishment for just leaving."

"Then leave I shall, Lord Shen," replied the swan. She then clacked her break thoughtfully. "A good night to you." Nyx loosened her hold on the basket, but before starting for the shack she stopped. The swan turned back and gazed at the peacock jokingly. "It's rather coincidental that we meet up at the same places during a night. This has been the second time already. Anyway I best be going now," she said, nodding her head and leaving with her fruit.

Shen's crest raised in interest, pondering over the swan's final words as he wandered deeper into the forest. It certainly was quite a coincidence that they saw each other during sleepless nights. Regardless, it always ruined Shen's peace of mind—not that he remembered having any.

All of a sudden, a headache took claim of Shen's focus. The peacock yelped and clutched his head in pain.

_"Shen, sweetie," called Mei. She opened her wings as she beckoned her son closer. "Come here." Shen, who was just a peachick, hopped towards his mother and accepted her embrace. Mei chuckled and stroked her son soothingly. "We love you, Shen. Never forget that," the peahen said._

_"That we do," came Qiang as he joined the hug. For them, it was a precious moment, as they only had each other in a blood connection; their relatives' whereabouts were unknown._

Shen gasped as he stumbled near the rock where he once laid. The peacock's eyes were widened as he rubbed his head confusedly.

"They no longer love me," he whispered, letting his wing drape lose. Shen growled and threw a knife towards a tree; the blade pierced through the bark, resting firmly on the tree.

The peacock sighed and traipsed through the forest shortly after retrieving his knife. Once again the night was not gracious with him, so it will be long and painstakingly tiresome. And, if it were to continue, Shen couldn't begin to comprehend his wilting mentality. Things were slowly growing fragile for him, but his parents just had to play with him—right when development was increasing in the camp.

* * *

For breakfast, Nyx decided to make Nian Gao some salad—to put some of her fruit to good use. Because the bet had been altered into three individual challenges, the weasel at least deserved a unique reward. But of course, Nyx would also get some of that salad, being mostly a vegetarian and the one who picked the fruit. The others would get the portion they decided prior to betting week, do Nian Gao would definitely be getting quite the feast.

Nyx transferred the others' food into the bowls and plates, then doing the same with the portion of fruit salad. Everyone was still in bed, but Nyx decided to cook early when she knew she couldn't sleep. The black swan cleaned the area until the food remained, then began ate her salad at the edge of the platform. As Nyx was eating, a familiar scraping noise was heard, to which the swan turned her head to in interest.

"Good morning," greeted the swan as she stuffed some fruit into her beak. She narrowed her eyes as her gaze landed on a very tired and lethargic Shen. "Are you all right?"

"Oh definitely," the fatigued peacock muttered sarcastically, waving a wing dismissively. He trudged towards the table of food and snatched a bowl sluggishly.

"D-do you need hel—" The swan halted when Shen threw a nasty glare at her.

"No, I don't," replied the albino as he ate his food slowly. The swan near Shen could only stare at him confusedly.

Nyx let out an inaudible sigh and continued with her meal. All was silent until the swan set to clean her bowl. For the past several days, Nyx had always risen at the same time Nian Gao did; it was a little odd to see her up and about at such an early hour. Shen glanced at the brightening sky, then stared at the swan in mixed annoyance and curiosity as she worked.

"Why are you up so early?" the peacock questioned, suspicious.

"Hm?" Nyx put away the newly-cleaned kitchenware and looked at Shen from the corner of her eye. "Ah, shortly after my little fruit-picking trip, I didn't get much rest that night. And so, I decided to get up a little early." The swan then fully turned to face the tired peacock. Her ruby eyes narrowed as she eyed Shen. "And what about you, Lord? How was your night?" she asked.

"Had a great stroll through the forest," the peacock replied, shrugging and handing his finished bowl to the swan. That and a long, intense contemplation of his familial life. To have thought that much was painful for his mind, despite being very smart since his early adolescence. Shen shook his head and made to leave for his house.

Nyx looked at Shen's retreating form, befuddled. She shook her head and began cleaning.

_Strange indeed,_ she thought. Some concern showed in Nyx's mind, but she decided to ignore those urges to help, lest she face the wrath of the albino peacock. But then again, her idiotic bravery—if she could call it that—had been showing itself rather openly for the past month. Nyx grumbled to herself and decided to test her sanity, but that would be after cleaning everything up and doing a brief rain check on everyone's breakfast. If all failed, Nyx considered haunting Shen for not accepting her attempts to help.

Meanwhile, Shen stopped as he reached his destination. Upon reaching his room, the peacock plopped tiredly onto his blanket nest.

"Curse this day," groused Shen as a massive headache split through his skull. The peacock groaned silently and clutched his head. "And all the others."

_"Did you really . . . ? All those innocent pandas?"_ His mother. Shen could remember the look of horror on his parents' faces. He expected them to be proud to have eliminated a major threat, but of course it was too good to be true. The soothsayer's reaction didn't help things either.

_"To this day, you are hereby disowned—as Gongmen City's heir and prince, and as our son! Now see your wolves and yourself out, else you all be executed!" _Shen couldn't help but growl as the words were brought up. They did nothing . . . nothing. In such a dire time for him, they banished him instead of aiding him—their one and only son.

Shen yelped as a stronger wave of pain erupted in his head. It was a shame that there were no doctors in camp, except for a few who only knew basic knowledge with treating wounds and some other injuries. Well, it wouldn't matter, as exposing himself would be a sign of weakness. Overcoming the pain, Shen reached under the blankets and took out his box. He opened it and inspected the largest photo. The peacock clenched his beak as he eyed the painted smiles. Furrowing his brows, Shen glared at the grown peafowls in the photo.

"They didn't love me," Shen whispered.

A knock interrupted the peacock's thoughts. Shen carefully returned the small paintings and hid the box. With a tired groan, the peacock hoisted himself up and walked towards the house's door. Another set of knocks came from the door, this time gentler. Shen raised his brows and slowly opened the door, revealing Nyx standing outside.

"What do you want now?" the albino demanded.

"I'd just like to know if you're doing well. You seemed sluggish back there. Is there anything I can help you with," answered the swan. Shen glared at the swan irritatedly.

"The only thing you can do as a form of help is leaving me alone to sleep!" The peacock slammed the door shut and huffed angrily. Shen started for his nest, but stopped when another knock came. Annoyed, the peacock marched back to the door and held a knife threateningly.

Still behind the door, Nyx stood patiently with a calm expression. Such serenity made Shen's eye twitch. He clenched his knife and pointed it at the swan.

"Will you just leave me alone?!"

"I'm afraid I cannot do that," insisted the swan. "You may rest now but this behaviour may affect everyone's way of working in the future." Nyx frowned in concern as she plucked the knife from the peacock's grasp and dropped it. The swan's expression then turned relaxed and poised. Shen only glared and secretly held another knife from his arsenal. "As our leader, you must set an example for us. It's likely that you have acted like this before, but consider our feelings and our chances of success for today. Thankfully it's very early and thankfully I have gathered enough courage—considering the possibility of death after this talk—to stop here and voice my concerns, so please consider it," Nyx finished.

Shen's glare softened, while his grip on his weapon loosened until eventually keeping it hidden again. The peacock considered the possibilities of his behaviour, before sighing and nodding. At least his headaches had subsided, making thinking a little easier.

"I'm sure Nian Gao would be concerned too," spoke Nyx. "I heard you don't truly acknowledge him, but I'll have you know he looks up to you as the leader of this large group; and he expects you to be a good one for them because they had just gotten over their previous one. I'm sure several of the others think the same way."

The peacock chuckled quietly to himself. For a newcomer the swan already knew quite a bit. But, she was no mind reader, so who said she knew what they all thought? No one, of course—but Nian Gao would probably be an exception. Shen once again glared at Nyx, eyes digging holes into the swan.

"You have no reason to care," sneered the albino, "and you should never have one. We must keep our emotions walled and keep up a level of professionalism, as this place that serves as temporary residence is also a workplace. To be here—a person who's alive, well, and moving freely—is to serve under me and follow my plans and orders."

"And as a person, I do have a reason," Nyx protested. "We all do." The swan sighed and returned the peacock's stare. Shen kept his eyes on the swan, but with swift motions retrieved the feather-shaped knife loitering on the ground. "I'm the 'maid' of this place, am I not? Let me show concern over not just the activities, but the residents as well. What plagues you, Lord Shen?" Nyx asked.

"None of your concern," Shen answered bitterly. "If there's anyone you should concern yourself with, it's the others who are here. My cases stay with me unless I decide it necessary to be involved." The peacock huffed and turned around. Shen then glared at the room, furious and tired. "Now leave, or the only concern you'll have left is your life!" he ordered the swan behind him.

Unseen by the peacock, Nyx lowered her head until her eyes could only focus on the ground. Once again, she knew she had to back off—not because of her life, but because Shen was in an exhausted and horrible state; he needed to restore himself. However, Nyx had a plan brewing in her head.

"As you wish." And with that, the black swan left with reluctant steps.

Once the swan was out of hearing range, Shen groaned and dragged a wing down his face. He entered the house and slumped on the door upon closing it. The peacock grumbled to himself and started towards his nest, landing on the pile with a tired sigh.

"I need more credit," muttered the albino, eyelids dropping and hiding lethargic pools of red. It wasn't long until the peacock dozed off into a long period of sleep.

With Nyx, she simply paced the kitchen platform after returning. She had something brewing in her head, which she would make an eruption out of and put it to use. Her idea was good, she had to admit, but also required more bravery—or stupidity—which she had gathered enough of since she had first awoken from her week-long coma.

* * *

"Nyx? Nyx!" The swan perked up and turned to Nian Gao, who looked at her confusedly. Nyx turned around and met the weasel's stare.

"O-oh, good morning," replied the swan, hesitantly. She tucked the bowl of rice and vegetables behind her. Nian Gao laughed.

"It's afternoon, Nyx!"

"It is?" whispered Nyx, looking at the sky for confirmation. Her eyes widened in surprise as she stared at the high, afternoon sun. The feathers on the swan's cheeks rose in embarrassment; thankfully it hid the blush that tinged her cheeks. "S-so it seems."

"Yeah," said the weasel, chuckling and nodding. "So what have you been up to? You've been occupying the kitchen when lunch is practically done already."

"More food," Nyx answered, which technically wasn't a lie. "I'm exploring the various types of dishes your country has to offer—following some of the recipes you provided me recently."

"Really?" Nian Gao's eyes widened, then a grin broke out on his face. He hugged the swan tightly, causing a light gasp of surprise to escape from the avian. "Thank you! None of the other cooks tried my suggestions, so I'm glad you chose to follow them! It means so much to me?"

"D-does it?" squeaked the swan, trying to breathe from the constricting hug. Nyx never knew the weasel had that much strength in him—it was surprising, to say the least. The swan patted Nian Gao reassuringly. "M-may I breathe, please?"

Nian Gao's eyes widened and he jumped back, scratching his head in embarrassment.

"Sorry!"

"No, no, it's all right." Nyx kept the bowl of food hidden behind her, which thankfully went unnoticed by the young weasel before her. "They're definitely worth trying if they're meant to be eaten, hm? However, I'm no chef, but I'm relieved that they are simple recipes to make." The waterfowl turned her back and arranged a pair of chopsticks on the bowl. "What did you all do in my absence?" she asked.

"Oh, you know . . . same stuff almost every day." Nian Gao waved a paw dismissively. "We worked on the nearby forge, then we set out to gather some more resources within the area."

"Back to the restoration of the forge, those are tasks not every day," Nyx stated. "Yesterday you and the others had another tournament. All of you also worked on your weapons and self-defence skills."

"But we've been working on the forge for the past several days. I said _almost_ every day," the weasel clarified.

"All right, _almost_ every day," conceded the swan. She grabbed the warm bowl and concealed it with her sleeves. Nyx nodded towards Nian Gao and began to make her leave. "Well then, I must get going. I have a small errand to run, so you go on and continue with your work. It was a nice conversation while it lasted."

"Yeah, it was! A-and do you need any help with that errand? I'm not in a rush at the moment." Nyx shook her head in response.

"No help needed. I don't wish to bother you, and I can also complete the task alone. Thank you for the offer, though," she declined.

"Okay. See you later, then!" Nian Gao ran off towards a large group of his comrades, leaving Nyx alone.

The black swan nodded to herself and set off for Shen's house. Yes, no other could help, as it was more of a one-person task. However, it was manageable by anyone, but Nyx chose to take action. Recently she decided to crack open Shen with yet another foolish idea—making attempts to annoy him through kindness. How it was to be done, would be answered by Nyx preparing food when he wasn't present. It was wasteful if Shen were to throw it out after discovering the portions, but Nyx decided it both a hilarious and kind thing. If all failed, however, at least she tried. And yet, it should have bothered her, but with all the idiotic things she committed as of recent, it didn't seem as bad.

_But is the door locked? Does it even have any bolts?_ wondered the swan. She stood before the worn, wooden door of the peacock's abode, bowl held in her wings.

Nyx reached for the rusty ring, gripping it firmly, and slowly pulled the door open. With small squeaks it opened, but thankfully Shen was in another room. The swan supposed the door was never bolted, but rather the others were intimidated to so much as peek inside. Ruby eyes scanned the area curiously; walls worn and certain furniture either missing or barely holding itself. It intrigued Nyx, but her real focus was on the next and only door before her, which through it housed a presumably sleeping Shen—at least, Nyx thought so. Mustering up some courage, Nyx strutted towards the door with quiet steps, minus the occasional creaking of the floorboards. Suddenly, the swan stopped herself and stared hesitantly, nervous and reluctant with herself.

"It seems . . . a little too invasive of me," decided the avian. Her eyes constantly darted between the door and the old table in the middle of the living room, until finally stopping at the table.

Nyx conceded and sighed inaudibly, making her way towards the small table. The swan gingerly placed the bowl onto the wooden surface, relieved when the table remained stable. However, she still made sure it was firm enough to hold—the table looked so fragile and old, some parts chipped away quite badly—but in the end Nyx let herself hope for the best and let it be.

"All right," she whispered. "I suppose that's all for today . . . and maybe tonight."

The swan raised her neck and silently exited the house. She had this side hoping to come on good terms with the peacock—all she received were glares and narrowed eyes whenever she came into contact with her "leader", which wasn't a lot, but to her it still spoke volumes.

* * *

Shen's eye twitched as he eyed the bowl of warm food. It was only the afternoon, but his wonderful sleep had been interrupted upon hearing the faint sound of creaking floorboards; he couldn't remember the last time he got a good and proper look at his reflection, but he had a feeling his lids were much darker compared to his days before taking over Gongmen. Out of caution and anger, he exited his room shortly after being roused, only to find a bowl of cooked rice and vegetables on the only table in the house; chopsticks were readied as well. Seeing the food replaced Shen's anger with confusion, but he had a slight feeling as to who it was that delivered the meal.

"Waste of time coming here," muttered the peacock, huffing and crossing his wings in annoyance. The albino's gaze then landed back on the bowl, as if it was beckoning him to eat it. "Maybe not fully." Shen sighed and carried the bowl back to his room, shutting the door and settling on his blanket pile with his food still in his wings. Furrowing his brows, Shen eyed the food suspiciously. "It could be poisoned," he suspected, scrutinizing every grain and vegetable.

The food looked very appetizing, which caused Shen's stomach to protest loudly. A light blush tainted the white feathers of the albino's cheeks as he glanced at his abdomen. He huffed and took hold of the provided chopsticks.

"That pen better not have poisoned this." The peacock took a hesitant bite of his food, muttering incessantly about poison and future threats. Shen looked away from the bowl, quietly admitting to himself about how good it was. A few more intakes later he realized there was no poison—at least, any drug that worked fast upon consumption.

Thankfully there was no poison, as it was confirmed when he continued with the food's inspection while eating it. In the end he shrugged it off and shook his head, somehow knowing that the black swan had something else up her sleeve. What it was, he didn't know, but he did know that he would eventually find out . . . unless Nyx simply made it as a form of apologizing, but it was unlikely since she knew of the dangers of being around him. When his lunch was finished, Shen placed the bowl at the corner of the room and covered the window, before settling back on his nest. With a full stomach, it was definitely much easier to sleep again.

Shen rested his head on his chest, eyes half-lidded and once again drowsy. His gaze returned to the silhouette of the bowl sitting across him, empty and almost bare of any grain of rice. The peacock's beak formed a thin line as he contemplated on the purpose of the delivered lunch. Then he shrugged and focused on his sleep.

"I better get an explanation for this," he mumbled. "However, I definitely wouldn't mind not coming down to pick up my food."

The peacock was already fast asleep shortly after he finished his sentence.

* * *

As the days passed, Shen got no answers. In fact, more questions were raised when he kept receiving more food when he wasn't present for the delivery, which were usually before lunch and dinner. At least Shen no longer had to join the others to get his meal, as well as the sudden disappearance of his headaches, but it still irked him that someone—especially that swan newcomer—had the audacity to barge into his house without his permission. Shen thought it rather unfortunate that there were no bolts to lock the door. Eventually, however, the food service had escalated into something irritating.

Just to catch Nyx, Shen altered his schedule and remained in his living room, seated behind the table where the meal would be normally placed. He sat impatiently, primary feathers tapping on the wood out of annoyance.

"That swan better spill everything," muttered the peacock as he rested his head rested on his wing, as if bored.

It wasn't long and already Shen was tired of waiting. Thankfully, the waiting wasn't to last. The peacock's crest raised in alert when the door began to squeak, until fully opening to reveal Nyx. She was holding a plate of fruits, which signified another delivery. Shen raised his head and narrowed his eyes at the swan as she closed the door. When Nyx turned her head, the two birds' eyes met and clashed in a silent stare. Soon the air became tense with confusion and irritation, each from one of the avians' gaze.

"Explain. Now," ordered Shen, breaking the silence. Nyx's eyes widened slightly as she brought the plate closer to herself.

"Ah, I came to bring food. I'm sure you know of who the deliverer is, yes?"

"As if that wasn't obvious enough," Shen muttered sarcastically. His crest raised even higher when the swan began to settle the food on the table. The peacock raised his brows irately. "Will you stop that?!"

"Delivering you food? No," Nyx answered as she dusted the surface and carefully placed chopsticks onto it. "The swan then glanced at the peacock. "But if you answer my questions, then maybe I will."

"Well, if you answer _my_ questions, then I'll answer yours," bargained Shen. He smirked when the swan nodded in agreement.

"Very well." Nyx sat across the table and focused her attention on the peacock in front of her. "How about you start, milord?"

_I feel as if Peng is starting to rub off on her,_ thought Shen, but then shook his head. He nodded at the swan's suggestion.

"All right. Ask on, Lord Shen."

"Why are you here?" the peacock asked.

"To deliver food, of course," was Nyx's blatant answer. Shen shook his head.

"No, no, let me rephrase this: What is your purpose for the deliveries?"

"I have spent much of my time away from the others and instead dedicated it to the making of your meals. Why I spend—or to you it would be"waste"—my time doing such an activity is to get answers of my own."

"That's it?" Shen was confused. It was one question with a very honest answer, as he could see nothing but truth written in the swan's eyes. He thought it was to complete a secret bet for another bonus week of challenges; to wear a mask of false kindness until finally getting him to soften up to the point he would let her go; or simply to annoy him to death.

"That's all," Nyx confirmed, nodding her head. "And is that it for you?"

Shen frowned, thinking of nothing else. During those days of pondering about the food, he could only conclude with that one question. The peacock sighed and nodded begrudgingly.

"Fine. Go ahead."

"To start off, why are you so bothered with the free food service? Aren't you glad you don't have to always go down to get your meals—except for breakfast, in which you're usually one of the earliest to retrieve it—but despite the lazy concept, aren't you happy at all?"

"I suppose I would be . . . if you didn't just barge in all the time!" replied Shen, crossing his wings and glaring at the swan at the opposite end of the table. "Every time I enter my house, always afternoon or evening, I see food in the middle of this table"—the peacock patted the wooden surface, but then reached for the plate that sat once forgotten—"however it disturbs me to think who could be placing this. You've done well putting up this schedule which I finally decided to intervene on, but if it may not be you then it could be some spy deciding to poison me!"

"Then why didn't you intervene sooner?" Nyx wondered. She watched as Shen quickly finished his food. The swan's eyes narrowed when Shen hastily pushed the empty plate aside. "Part of my plan was to provide you free lunches and dinners with just that specific schedule, and I know you're smart enough to catch on. So why didn't you try to stop it?"

An awkward silence soon followed. The two avians stared at each other; one patient and waiting, the other tense and hesitant. However, it still made for an odd atmosphere. With the house's slightly thin walls, one of the only few sounds was the whooshing of a faint breeze. But really, that was the only thing putting the two at slight ease. Eventually, it ended when the albino peacock cleared his throat. Shen looked away, brows furrowed and pouting childishly.

"It provided me some more time alone," he answered. "I have plans to finish, time to contemplate, practice for fight—"

"All in this house?" the swan interrupted. She gestured her wings towards the walls and small space. "This building looks as if it's barely standing! You can't train here—not when there is so much space outside. Contemplation and hard thinking I can believe, but from what I heard you work on your personal projects in the large tent back in the main area." Nyx raised a brow and looked at the peacock, somewhat scolding and incredulous. "I've made some rather foolish decisions recently, but that doesn't mean I'm an idiot. Why haven't you intervened until now?" she asked.

"Because I need time alone to think!" Shen shouted. If he could get any paler, his face seemed to get much whiter, but it was out of anger. It seemed as if he was very close to drawing out one of his weapons—just so he could slice into the swan across from him; it made Nyx a little nervous. "You have been a foolish one lately, but lately I have been troubled with my own concerns!"

Nyx's expression calmed, slowly shifting into one of concern. Her beak tilted downwards, but not to a noticeable degree.

"Then that brings me to my next and possibly final question," began the swan. "Why aren't you accepting our help? I heard several times already that Nian Gao tried to be a good worker for you. I'm sure that was also the case with several others, but you denied them. And now, you deny me. I try to help and am in fact concerned. That is the main reason for making this plan—trying to crack you open so we could help our leader. I know it's foolish, considering that it's just bringing you lunch and dinner, but my mother—a different mother from a different country in Europe—once told me that you kill them with kindness. I think that it is a powerful thing." Nyx sighed and glanced at Shen. "Sorry, I'm getting out of topic. Why are you not letting us help?" she asked.

"No one can do anything about it, nor will it matter," came the peacock's response, "which in the end makes knowing pointless. It would also be a distraction, as well as a hindrance in my plans. The knowing of something little from me would be a sign of weakness from me."

"And?"

"A strong, fierce warlord must be strong and must not show any weakness whatsoever."

"So it's for this . . . mask, just for the scrolls to write you as someone infamous and strong? Milord, strength is not just based off of exteriors and something physical." Nyx extended her wing across the table and until one of her flight feathers touched Shen's chest. Her beak tilted upwards in a slight smirk as the peacock batted her wing away. "It's about heart, too. This isn't just about a world of warlords, but of memorable leaders teaching everyone that it's not just about something that won't always last." The swan took the empty plate and held it close to her. "Our bodies may become weaker as we get older, but the strength in our hearts shall still remain the same—if not, then maybe grow even stronger," she finished.

"Our opinions vary very much, Lady Nyx. Regardless, I cannot be seen as a weak person," Shen sneered.

"Weakness and failure—basically our general flaws as a person—is the only opportunity to becoming stronger, because perfection can no longer be improved or made better," argued Nyx. "A precious person once said that to me herself."

Again another silence ensued, but was once again ended by Shen. The peacock sighed and held a stern expression.

"It seems this talk is over," said Shen, standing up. He started to make his way back to his room. "You have your questions answered and so are mine—"

"I suppose."

"—but I have duties to attend to." The albino glared at the swan, before shifting into a blank stare. "And so, I must leave very soon. Go on out now and do your work, while I do mine."

"Work, as in see to the forge," guessed Nyx, but silently so the peacock won't hear. "Well then, I shall take my leave, milord." The swan stood up and held the plate against her. She reached the short distance of the exit and gently opened the door, before turning to glance at Shen. "Are we on better terms now? Have we come to fair grounds now that we have this confusion settled?" she asked.

"Hm?" Shen's brows rose curiously.

Have they really come to neutral terms over some questions about a silly food delivery project? But he was angered partway through . . . discussing his opinions! And yet, Nyx found it completely fine to settle whatever negativity may be lurking between them . . . despite Shen being more into it with glares every time his eyes landed on the swan. In the end however, he did grow to enjoy Nyx's food. It was a slight shame, but being the prideful peacock he was Shen wouldn't ever admit that he enjoyed a part of the swan's plan as he ate more of her food; Shen hid the embarrassed blush that began to creep up his pale cheeks. Regardless, it all befuddled him. The peacock shook his head and stared at the swan confusedly.

"I-I suppose so," he answered unsurely. Nyx smiled and nodded.

"Then I suggest you open up more. I'm sure the others would like that." The swan opened the door wider to exit. "Also, I'm glad things are much better now. I hope you can one day open up your troubles to someone—it's much healthier, if I'm right. Let's talk again, Lord Shen."

When the door closed, all Shen could do was stare in utter bewilderment. The peacock's crest flattened, and his train raised slightly. What just happened confused Shen very much, but somehow a single word slipped through his beak.

"What?"

* * *

**Le One-Word Glossary (to try to clear some confusion if there is any):**

**Pen: A term used for a female swan.**

**A/****N: ****Pretty much all (hope there's no mistakes and if there is feel free to notify me) there is!**


	13. Formed Links

**A/N: As a way to make up for the loss of time (which was spent being lazy and reading fanfics), I decided to provide you all some random facts about this story and its universe! Yes, random facts, but hopefully they're valid enough, haha (and that I remember them)!**

**10 Random _SPOILER-FREE_ facts: (1) If you actually piece together some stuff, Shen was supposedly nine years old when Lorelei and Gerard had Nyx, but to be specific he was eight years and ten months old (if my math is correct) when Nyx hatched; (2) Nyx knows four languages—two taught and learned from living experience, and two taught under strict tutoring in Germany; (3) despite black swans being much larger than peafowls in reality, Nyx is shorter than Shen by two-and-a-half inches (08/26/19 EDIT: originally five inches, but eventually changed); (4) if Nyx weren't German she would be Greek; (4) Nian Gao was originally supposed to just be an unnamed second-in-command; (5) according to my logic, Shen was 37 years old in the story's first chapter (I stated he was 17 or 18 in the story's universe when he committed genocide in the prologue's author's notes); (6) originally Po was going to be one of the protagonists, but it was later scrapped; (7) the depth of Lorelei and Gerard's characters was unintended; (8) Liu Wei's age is in the early fifties (I say 53); (9) originally the story was supposed to focus more on Shen's point of view (I implied it when starting the first chapter with him), however the spotlight was eventually handed to Nyx to further "paint" her character (but hopefully I'll include Shen more and more, considering that he's one of the MCs listed); (10) if you think about it, Liu Wei is just an even crazier Shen.**

**More facts coming once this story is finished, as well as other notes about it, such as early development. Stay tuned! ;)**

**Disclaimer: _Kung Fu Panda_ belongs to _DreamWorks Animation_.**

* * *

Chapter 12 – Formed Links

* * *

"You're done with your errands?" asked Nian Gao.

Nyx nodded in response. It had been some days since she had last properly spoken to everyone else, considering that she spent a good part of her time preparing a certain albino peacock's food and barging in to deliver them. Recently she was also told to stop the deliveries, as most had been settled between her and Shen, and she no longer had a purpose to continue. Secretly, Nyx decided to continue, but to a less intense degree—just the occasional lunch or dinner when Shen was busy. For Nyx, she found it nice to make a specific dish for a single person, just like she used to do for her adoptive parents.

"Yes, in a way," replied the swan, thinking of a special dish she made for her adoptive father in Italy. She shook her head and glanced at Nian Gao. "What needs to be done? Perhaps I can help."

The young weasel shook his head.

"Not that I can think of." Nian Gao pondered for a moment. "There's just free time for us. Some of the others are at the forge either working or waiting for Lord Shen, but the rest of us are gathered and just relaxing. It's something milord won't really agree on, but we've worked rigorously today."

"Free time?" Nyx asked, head tilted. She then nodded. "I can always acquaint myself more with your comrades. All right, I shall join you." The swan stopped, before looking at Nian Gao for permission. "May I?" she wondered.

Nian Gao nodded happily.

"Of course, Nyx, you're a part of this gang now! Let's go!" The weasel took the swan's wing and led her towards his friends, who were just basking in each other's company in the distance.

Sometimes Nyx thought Nian Gao was like a child, but that was most likely because of his life with his family. She never asked her parents if she had any unmentioned siblings, but in a way Nian Gao had become a like a younger brother to her. It wasn't long since they last met, she knew, but from what she'd seen the weasel had this innocence that no one else in the camp had. However, he definitely was not a child. Children never really crossed Nyx's mind, but she sometimes adored them; she was also very ripe in age. The swan's feathers rose as a blush stained her cheeks.

"Guys, I'm back!" Nian Gao called, waving at his friends as he and Nyx entered the main campground. The black swan blinked, her attention focusing on the awaiting group ahead.

"You brought Nyx!" a dhole noted, pointing at the swan excitedly. Nyx waved hesitantly. She had spoken to each of them a few times, but the attention still unnerved her; that also applied to her life as nobility.

"Good afternoon, everyone," the swan greeted. Everyone swarmed her and responded with excited shouts. Nyx cringed a little.

"Where have ya been?" a boar asked, the same one who gladly spoke to Nyx.

"It's good to see you, too. To answer your question, I've simply been at the kitchen these past several days," answered Nyx.

"Ah, being a good cooking maid then," the boar said in jest. "Well, you always were. You and Nian Gao make a good pair of cooks, making us tasty food out of some of the grossest ingredients we have."

The others chortled at the boar's joke. It was true—Nyx, and Nian Gao especially, would cook the dishes with the oldest ingredients first. That was excluding the rotten food, which would be separated from the good ingredients and used as compost for Li Huang's garden; if there was not much to do, the pigeon loved to spend his time gardening. However, between the swan and the weasel, the latter was more passionate about the job, but everyone presumed it was his destiny since he was named after a dish.

"Now I'm getting hungry!" a weasel protested, clutching his stomach as it growled lowly. More laughs erupted within the group.

"How about I make you all something to eat?" Nyx suggested. "As a snack. Dinner is still in a while, but I'm sure you need to eat." The swan looked at the young weasel beside her. "You too, Nian Gao. Just leave the job to me."

"Thank you so much, Nyx!" replied Nian Gao, beaming cheerfully.

With Nyx in the lead, the group marched towards the kitchen excitedly. She and Nian Gao just got to the main campground, but they didn't mind the return. Since Nyx succeeded with her plan, things were also already getting rowdy. It made the swan a little uncomfortable, as she wasn't one for very lively crowds—she and the soothsayer walked at the festival's edge that fateful night—but they were nice people, despite the person who led them. Her friends in Italy were a different kind of lively, and that also applied Po and the Furious Five. However, Nyx would try to accustom herself to the environment.

* * *

"What are you doing here?" questioned Shen as he eyed the swan. Nyx looked up and displayed the meal on the table. Shen frowned as he stared at the food, specifically the swan's movements as she poured some tea. "Didn't I tell you to stop intruding?"

"At least it's not your room," remarked Nyx as she sat down, preparing her own cup of tea. She needed Shen to open up. If she was to stay in the hideout for some time, there would be no tolerating evil figures; she didn't want to get rid of Shen, who was the entire army's leader, plus there was a quality to him that was better than Liu Wei. Nyx didn't know why, but she just had to change Shen. Maybe he could help with Liu Wei's downfall, then all would be peaceful and she and her parents could return to Germany safely. Yes, it was perfect. _And once again a little selfish,_ Nyx added mentally, but she shook the thought away.

"Does it matter if it's my room? This is my house, which you are entering without _my_ permission!" exclaimed Shen, gesticulating frustratedly.

"Personally I wouldn't appreciate it either, but I just have to," Nyx muttered quietly. She gestured towards the open spot from across the table as her gaze focused on Shen. "I mean no harm. I come with food and tea as a welcoming gesture, milord. The rest is up to you to decide; this is your house after all, right?"

"Then I say you get out!" the peacock responded, pointing an angry feather towards the door.

"I just came here to talk," Nyx blurted out. Her beak tilted downwards in a slight frown as she looked at Shen. "Didn't I suggest that one time?"

"And did I say yes?"

"W-well, no . . . but I just want peace between us! Those glares you've given me when we stumble upon each other—I find them rather unpleasant." Nyx played with her half-full cup as a distraction. Shen, on the other hand, huffed, smirking sadistically.

"Good."

"Anyway, I'd just like to get to know you more, Lord Shen. Wouldn't it be nice to at least have a friend here?" Typically Nyx wasn't the one to make the first move, however that wasn't the case this time. Compared to others, Shen was like a sack of icy snow from a land of eternal winter. Nyx found it to be a rather artistic description, but with Shen's character it matched perfectly . . . until that "snow" would melt from his equally burning hot temper. Or was dry ice better? An ice so cold that it burned, but Nyx didn't even know what that was. Was the universe telling her something? The swan snapped out of her thoughts and focused on the peacock in front of her.

Shen snorted.

"As if friends are necessary. I've successfully initiated my plans before without the help of—of friends!" All of a sudden the face of a certain lupine appeared in Shen's mind. He knew that without the sword allegiance of the Alpha he wouldn't have had a wolf army to help him wipe out threats. To have such loyalty to the point of betrayal and treason to the actual rulers was something remarkable. Shen and Wolf Boss's bond wasn't just professional—they were once at a friendship that was almost that of kinship.

"You hesitated," Nyx noted as she sipped her tea. What Shen hesitated for, she didn't know, but she might find out eventually. The swan's eyes then shifted to the forgotten meal sitting on the table. "Your lunch and tea is getting cold. Please go ahead and eat, milord."

"Very well," Shen conceded. He took a seat and began to eat, but not before silently thanking the swan.

Compared to last time, the silence wasn't awkward. If relieved the both of them, unknowing of the other's unanimous thoughts. Nyx watched the peacock eat as she finished her tea. When the peacock began to sip on his tea, the swan opened her beak.

"It's ginseng, in case you're about to ask," blurted Nyx. "I found a box of the leaves in one of the food storage's cupboards. Nian Gao said he smuggled it from one of the booths at Gongmen's festival."

"I see." The peacock inspected the bits of leaves on his tea.

Shen's mind was running fast, despite the simple focus of his gaze. Every piece sat floating on the warm drink's surface, which somehow intrigued him. Each bit was once a part of something whole, but now they were scattered and left to float way—lost with nothing to stick them together. Somehow it reminded Shen of someone—himself. It was a little odd, comparing shredded tea leaves and a conscious being. The peacock shook his head and looked at Nyx, who simply stared at the cracked edge of the table; her neck was arched to get a better look at the wooden edge. Shen quickly finished his tea and cleared his throat, quickly gaining the swan's attention. He supposed it wouldn't be bad to clear some boredom; he was on a break for the rest of the afternoon, which he also decided to give to his soldiers. Then after that he would return to his planning tent.

"Y-you wanted to talk, yes?" he asked. Nyx perked up and lifted her head, nodding slowly.

"Ah, sorry, yes. I was a little lost in thought."

Shen hummed thoughtfully and began to eat his food. Once again it tasted delicious, and again he wouldn't admit that to anyone but himself. However, it had gotten a little cold, but the peacock didn't mind.

"How is it?" Nyx asked. She hoped it wasn't too bad.

"Good enough," Shen answered.

"That's good."

An awkward silence settled between them. Shen simply ate his food with a mannered grace, but the soft sounds of that and the outdoors were the only things that remained audible in the room. Overall it was awkward and quiet. Somehow the quietness liked to intrude, which was something both avians present found bothersome. Then again, that kind of thing usually occurred between two people with differing mindsets. An awkward blush rose in Nyx's cheeks, which thankfully went unseen because of her dark feathers. The slight raise of her feathers, however, did go noticed by the peacock.

"Is there something you're sensing that I'm not?" questioned Shen, raising a curious brow. "You're looking rather alert, unless I'm wrong."

"Nothing's wrong! Nothing at all!" Nyx rearranged her feathers frantically. Her beak tilted upwards sheepishly. "It was just very tense, so I didn't know how else to react. I apologize, Lord Shen."

"Well, if it's gotten this tense, how about I get a topic started." Shen slid his empty plate towards the middle and hid his wings in his sleeves. "State your dislikes, which I will also do when you're done."

Nyx nodded. It was an odd choice of a topic, but it would do to keep the tension away for a bit.

"I don't like many things," she began. "I don't like crowds much; I don't like hot weather; I don't like the noblewomen's dresses in Europe, especially the corsets that come with them as they can be ridiculously tight; I don't like being separated from family when they don't have any trusted people to support them, or else I would worry myself too much; I don't like awkward silences, but I'm in for serene quietness; and I especially dislike someone right now, because they wanted me for themselves—and I mean that in a way that would disgust many others of the female population."

The last point piqued Shen's interest. His crest raised slightly in curiosity.

"If I may ask, who is this person?" It definitely wasn't him. With Shen his thoughts were swirling around. He couldn't imagine himself focusing on anything else other than domination and revolutionary power, as well as the evolution of his fiery discovery. The peacock's interest grew when Nyx's expression darkened.

"Scratch that, I _hate_ him," she uttered angrily. Nyx then sighed. "He separated me from my parents; he wanted—_wants_ me as his trophy wife; he destroyed a night that was supposed to be joyous; and he brought me into a world that I know little to nothing about!"

"Who is this person?" Shen asked. Nyx's angered expression turned blank.

"Liu Wei," she answered calmly, opposite of the raging storm in her eyes. Shen raised a brow.

"He wanted to marry you?" The old lynx? And here Shen thought the only thing in that cat's mind was death, destruction, and more destruction. Regardless, the lynx's choice of marrying wasn't positive either. Loveless marriages had become quite the trend amongst couples nowadays—very much on par with the option of having a harem, which was especially popular among nobility and royalty; Shen's parents were one of the few royals who remained a loyal and monogamous pair.

Nyx nodded in confirmation.

"He kidnapped me, which later led to my injuries when one of his men attacked me. That was during a fight between Liu Wei's group and my new friends, before I went unconscious. After that, Nian Gao and his group found me and here I am," she explained. "I hated how I was taken, but I'm glad I'm here. If I wasn't then it was either with Liu Wei or dead from blood loss. So in a way I thank you for taking in those wonderful, kind people."

"Y-you're welcome?" the peacock replied unsurely. He then cleared his throat. "Well, my turn then."

"Very well."

"I hate those who get in my way; I hate pandas; I hate many things!" Shen listed. His list wasn't very long, but his tone spoke a lot of the many unlisted things that he found negative. Nyx simply looked at the peacock with a blank expression, before raising a brow amusedly. Hate was very different from dislike.

"Aren't you a negative hater?" she joked.

"Aren't you a disliker of many things?" the albino remarked irritatedly.

"All right, I apologize if I annoyed you. Moving on, how about likes?" Nyx suggested.

"I really do wonder how an inquiry about motives for a food service has gone to . . . this," Shen muttered, which didn't go unheard by Nyx.

"I agree, but I don't dislike it at all," the swan said. She then nodded her head towards the peacock. "You may start."

"I like robes made of the finest silk—"

"Ah, no wonder."

"—because of the comfort they provide, as well as the emphasis of status and power—"

"Is that why you keep your only robe clean all the time?" Nyx asked. "Every time I see you in your same robe it is always clean, as if newly picked and worn from the closet. It's simply remarkable how you keep it clean during and after such messy activities, especially when working at a forge of all places."

"Do you want me to finish?" the peacock asked exasperatedly. Nyx blushed in embarrassment.

"I'm so sorry for my disrespectful behaviour, Lord Shen! Do go on, please!"

Shen cleared his throat and continued, "I like weaponry and blades; I like to enjoy a good battle every now and then; I like snow since it's so easy to blend in." The peacock stopped. A dark grin grew on his beak, which greatly unnerved Nyx. "And I especially love fireworks. The things I can do with it, such as the creation of weapons from their powder. So beautiful, yet so dangerous and destructive!"

Things were becoming tense, which was the case for Nyx. She had to do something, lest Shen would have an entire tangent dedicated to fireworks. And so, Nyx decided it good to intervene.

"I like fireworks, too," she said, which wasn't a lie. Gongmen's fireworks were quite the sight, which intrigued her during the festival. "The colours are magnificent and beautiful. I saw them at the festival."

"But they can be more," whispered Shen, which Nyx heard clearly. "There is so much uncovered potential for them."

"Well, moving on," Nyx interrupted. "Is there anything else that interests you."

Shen snapped out of his, daze, clearing his throat.

"Oh, you may go," he said, waving his wing in the air.

"I like the food here; I like senbon needles; I like swimming in ponds or lakes; I like this area because of its beauty; I like the people here; and I like many more things."

"Those Japanese needles?" asked Shen. "Using those requires good precision and anatomical knowledge to know which spots are best to hit. Overall if you can't really use them they prove as weak weapons."

"I developed an interest in them when a Japanese resident showed his weapon collection," Nyx explained. "Luckily he gave me his needles, but I knew little to nothing about their proper use; it was in Gongmen that I was provided with more knowledge regarding them."

"I find throwing knives more effective," Shen said as he twirled one of his knives in a wing, emphasizing his preference for them. "The same knowledge to use the senbon would do well with them, however even without hitting a good spot it still gives damage. They are knives, after all."

Nyx shrugged.

"Those needles are my preference. To me I find them easy to hide and carry. Others with little knowledge about them may pass it off as sewing needles, especially when they're in a woman's arsenal."

"How good are you with using them?" the peacock asked. "My interest is piqued."

"Well," the swan began, "certainly not at a professional's level. I was given basic training, but the damage I gave to one of Liu Wei's men would be considered a mere nick. My skills are small, but decent enough in an emergency situation."

"From what I recall you were unarmed when my men found you. What happened to them?"

"I don't know," Nyx answered honestly. "I guessed they were dropped, but the last time I held them was the night of the festival. The day I woke up they were not with me, so their fate remains unknown."

"Are there any weapons you know of?"

"A few, after working with your men. Some were rather interesting." It seemed they have found some kind of common ground. However in the end Shen realized the swan didn't know much, but she took a slight interest to the concept of self-defence.

When they ended with the topic of food, the sun was starting to set. Shen immediately took notice of it and quickly stood. Nyx looked at the peacock questioningly, before following his gaze to the darkening window. Her eyes widened slightly and she moved to gather the tray of empty dishes. The two never realized how much time passed from a simple conversation—one simply for the purpose of breaking the ice between them.

"I truly apologize if I took over much of your time, milord." Thankfully for Nyx, Nian Gao already had dinner covered. The swan glanced at the peacock calmly. "Maybe I can make up for the loss of time somehow?"

"There's no need," responded Shen. "I had free time for the rest of the afternoon anyway. However, I must see to the forge soon. You can work with the others if you have nothing else to do."

"Thank you, milord." Nyx bowed and quietly dismissed herself, before glancing back at the peacock. "It's been a nice talk, Lord Shen. It would be glad if we speak again. Have a good night."

Shen stared after the swan thoughtfully. During their long conversation they managed to break most of the ice between them. It still puzzled him as to how an interaction with another person could be a positive experience sometimes, but it had been so long since he last experienced such an encounter with another. The only person he remembered having as a friend was . . . well, dead. Unfortunate, he knew, but he himself was the one who killed his only friend and second-in-command. He supposed he could open up to at least one person, as he had no one else, however it would take much longer for his shell to crack. But it was odd for him—the mighty Lord Shen, befriending a mere noble swan from Germany? Laughter would have erupted if others were to find out of such hilarity. Then it made Shen wonder whether or not Nyx would reveal of this newfound friendship. A part of Shen wanted to exterminate the swan out of shame, but another wanted to try a hand at the complexity of friendship.

The peacock shook his head.

"I'm definitely going soft if I'm feeling so insecure about the result of a small interaction with that swan." And with that, Shen started towards the forge. He decided to skip dinner, as he didn't hunger after his delicious lunch.

* * *

With a small yawn, Nyx set out for her shack. Dinner was rather interesting, but that was because of her conversation with Nian Gao. Unfortunately Shen didn't pick up dinner, much to the delight of some very hungry soldiers. Still, the camp never ceased to intrigue her with every new information she learned—such as a part of Nian Gao's life story. It made Nyx feel honoured to have the weasel share his early times with her, however the others clarified that they, too, knew.

Upon reaching the shack, the swan settled on her nest with a relaxed sigh. Her eyes then began to scan the room, recalling her talk with Nian Gao an hour ago.

_"I'm rather curious about something," mused Nyx. She turned her head towards the young weasel seated beside her. "If you don't mind my asking, Nian Gao, how did you come to be here? Work with Liu Wei andLord Shen of all people? You are a very pleasant person, and you don't even deserve to be working for those with dark plans."_

_Nyx meant no offence to Shen. After her first long chat with Shen her opinion of him had shifted a little. Truly she knew there was potential for him to change into someone better, but how she could help with that was an unknown plan saved for later. A small part of her felt giddy at the revelation. The swan was then shaken out of her thoughts when Nian Gao spoke._

_"To start off, I was taken from my family. Liu Wei needed men, which he lacked after an incident with Lord Shen occurred, so he raided villages and threatened families to have the most able males join him. My village was one of those, so of course that lynx would do horrible things if we didn't follow along," he said. "I was raised in a family of bakers—just me and my parents, though. And, despite being one of the poorest in the entire village, we were very happy. My parents taught me all sorts of good things, which shaped who I am today._

_"Then Liu Wei came and destroyed that happiness. He sent threats to my parents, who declined. It led to my father's death when he tried to resist. Fortunately Liu Wei didn't know I existed, but unfortunately I soon went to the foyer and saw him. Liu Wei immediately recognized the youth I held, so he then threatened my mother. In the end my mother wouldn't give me away, but in truth Liu Wei was quite smart. He then shifted his target from my mother to me, and then threatened to take away my life if my mother weren't to agree to his demands."_

_Nian Gao sighed shakily. Nyx scooted closer and wrapped a comforting wing around the weasel._

_"My mother eventually agreed, but under the term that I would be treated fairly. Liu Wei accepted, so he took me as one of his soldiers. In his camp I was taught how to fight, and I became one of the best. However, Liu Wei seemed to lack a conscience, which resulted in his constant abandoning of his men when trouble kept his plans at bay—like his encounter with Lord Shen, for example. He tried to make a bargain with milord, but was turned down. That resulted in the triggering of Liu Wei's rage, making him wreak havoc of the village my group and I were in. And like I said, he abandons mission when all goes down, and I was one of the men in that blazing village. In the end we found Lord Shen alive; and we swore our allegiance to him as his new men," he finished._

_"Quite a story," Nyx said. In soothing motions, she rubbed Nian Gao's back as he shook. To be separated from family was something Nyx knew the feeling of. What was worse with Nian Gao's mother, however, was that she lost both a son and a husband that day._

_"I've said to you several times already, but I would like to say it again: Sometimes we doubt Lord Shen, considering that he thinks quite similarly to Liu Wei. However, he's definitely a better leader than the old lynx. One of us may be killed from his anger but we hope milord shall eventually change for the greater good. We have our doubts but we don't regret our choice of switching."_

_The black swan craned her neck and stared at the weasel thoughtfully. It seemed he also wanted something better out of the peacock._

_"I'm sure you're not the only one."_

_Nian Gao shrugged._

_"My comrades are like my brothers now. We know each other's stories, but we've all had different experiences when encountering Liu Wei. What we also know is that our thinking of Lord Shen's need to change is unanimous."_

_"Then I suppose I could join?" Nyx inquired in jest. "I also vote for that peacock to better his ways, as one of his workers and a person who would like to know him more."_

_"We all wanna befriend him, Nyx," said Nian Gao, "but he seems almost untouchable! I applaud his friends for getting on his good side."_

_The black swan chuckled lightly. She also questioned how she got to break the ice. In the end she was pleased with her achievement, but she would have to be cautious if they were to fight, lest death or punishments would be thrown at her._

_"Me too."_

Nyx's eyes grew heavy, until eventually closing and shutting out the world. It would be another day in the abandoned yet used village, but she was getting used to it.


	14. Seek the Black Heart

**A/N: I AM SO, SO SORRY FOR THE LACK OF UPDATES! Whew, okay, got that over with. Anyway, once again I apologize for the what? Uh, over two months of no updates? Got busy with life, and during my spare I time I decided to spend it reading fanfics (again, well, again-again and so on for awhile). Now there is one thing that I'm wondering about for some reason, which is the possible change in my writing style. It may or may not change, so you may or may not notice that (like change of speech for example, and by that I mean the way a character talks). Okay, back on topic, I decided to give you all a chunky update. Hopefully that made the waiting fine. There is also a lack of editing in this (and the other next chapters that come with this update) so sorry if there is any noticeable mistakes.**

**(P.S Feel free to reread previous chapters if you need a refresher. Lately my brain has been backfiring on me so I needed a refresher myself to help me continue with the chapters, so it's all good! It has been while since the last update, after all. Go back and recap on the story, then you may proceed further**** when you're ready!)**

**(P.P.S. . . . or is it P.S.S.? I forgot ahahahaha! Originally this update was supposed to have three chapters, but considering the length of Chapter 14 there has been a last-minute change of plans! Again, sorry if there's any noticeable mistakes!)**

**Anonymous/Guest (to those observant, I'm adding a new word for diversity, woohoo!) Reviewer Response**

**Guest: Aw, thank you! And worry not, dear Guest, ya got yourself a jam-packed update (*thumbs up)! Although I apologize if the wait was long****. And though I do appreciate reviews (and kinda encourage it), I can see how many people read, as well as their country of residence—thank FFN that it proves this story is posted internationally!—which is enough proof to know people are checking out my stories! :)**

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**Disclaimer: _Kung Fu Panda_ belongs to _DreamWorks Animation_.**

* * *

Chapter 13 – Seek the Black Heart

* * *

Shen was handed a cup of tea. This time there were no bits of leaves floating on the drink, so there was no comparison to make of about being a "lost" person. Nyx took a seat from across him, settling down and pouring her own portion of tea.

For the past few days they have been meeting in secret. That was when Shen had free time, which nowadays was a lot with the way things were going. Of course, Shen remained on the cynical side, however he developed a slight trust and tolerance for the black swan.

The peacock raised a brow when he caught Nyx staring.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Conversation topic," was the swan's answer, before taking a sip of her warm tea.

"How was your day?" started Shen, a little unsurely. Nyx perked up and nodded her head.

"It was splendid," she replied. "As usual, I helped with the preparation of everyone's meals, but shortly after that I went through the forest to get fruit. I have picked fruit before—if you can recall our nightly encounter—but it surprised me to some degree to find some groves of fruit trees hidden in the forest."

"Then I must have not gone there yet," said Shen. "I don't recall stumbling upon fruits in my strolls through the forest."

"I suppose a tour of that grove is required. Thankfully I remember the route."

"When is this _tour_?" Shen didn't want to be caught by the others; it would be an embarrassment for him. No one knew of his budding friendship with Nyx, and it was very much fine with Shen. He had no want to be a main subject of talk, as well as people to think he can be easily befriended with. Already he decided to open up to Nyx, but at the moment he wanted no one else, lest his plans be hindered.

Yes, his plans. Just because someone got him on his good side didn't mean he had to stop just yet. There was domination, legacies, and revolutionary inventing he had yet to achieve. Fireworks he could go on into deeper exploration, but maybe other weapons would do as well. He also had to train himself, for he still remembered the time he was defeated by a mere panda of all creatures. Definitely, training was incredibly important if he were to conquer China andbring down that panda; the old lynx was an irrelevant case. Shen snapped out of his thoughts when Nyx spoke.

"One night?" She shrugged. "If you can go, that is. I understand if you're busy, considering that you have work to do as the leader and your . . . _plans_ to work on."

The swan's distaste of the peacock's ideas didn't go unnoticed. Shen raised his brows as his beak tilted downwards.

"My plans shall bring China to a new age of glory," he said. "I have many good discoveries to help the country. If you don't agree then why don't you leave?"

"Then you'd kill me," Nyx countered bluntly. "Wasn't I given a death threat if I were to leave? For all we know I may spill the beans to the public, so as a cautionary method, you threaten to have me exterminated."

"Right, right." Shen waved a dismissive wing. He then glared at the swan, but not harshly. "We may have come to better terms, _Lady Nyx_, but I will take lives if it means ensuring success."

The peacock smirked as the swan's eyes narrowed; annoyance and a hint of fear swimming in ruby pools. Truthfully, Shen would in fact kill to obliterate any obstacles in his plans, but he had a feeling he would regret taking away the swan's life. It was a ridiculous thought, but Shen settled in that idea; that didn't mean he wouldn't leave the swan unscathed if she were to do something that had severe effects to his plans. Nyx then cleared her throat.

"That tour is still open, if you'd like to clear your head of any stress. Maybe I can even provide some fruit." Shen knew it was more for Nyx's personal peace, but he decided to just go with it anyway.

"Tomorrow night then?" suggested Shen. "There is little for me to complete the following day, but tonight I must see to my work in the tent."

"Very well," the swan agreed. She then cleared the table and brought out a tray of leaves.

Shen raised a curious brow as he eyed the tray. When Nyx took out the leaves—each one being different types and designs—the wooden tray that held it was scratched. In wobbly lines, to be exact.

"What is this?" asked the peacock. Never were the trays damaged, that he knew, but this was a different case. Thankfully it wasn't too scratched that it couldn't hold anything. The camp had to be resourceful, as they were not near any thriving civilization.

"It's a board game." The swan rearranged the leaves into orderly rows and looked at Shen. "I made it. It was tested with some of your men, which they found quite enjoyable. How about we play?"

Shen eyed the squares in interest. He had a feeling strategy would be involved, which was just what he needed. The peacock gave a small smirk and nodded.

"A game of strategy, I presume?"

"Oh, definitely."

"What are the rules?"

"I based it off of this game I was shown in Gongmen, called Xiangqi, if I'm correct. Same rules apply, but the leaves will be the game pieces. I tried inscribing different patterns on them to represent something." Nyx explained the different leaves she brought. The leaves had a certain number of holes—each to represent the type of piece on the board.

Shen eyed the leaves in interest, as if it were a good gift. The game would definitely help him, if Nyx knew what she was doing. Since childhood it had been one of his favourite games, as it helped his mind develop. Almost every game was won; many in the Tower knew him for his strategic actions, but he never participated in one of those game tournaments. If he were to initiate such actions in reality, however, he would need not just good tactics but also the right "pieces" to help bring them to life—his men and weapons. Nonetheless, Shen enjoyed a good game of Xiangqi, despite having been years since he last played.

"However, there is a little change I made," continued Nyx. She began to arrange the pieces into their original formation. "If a piece from your side is taken out, the opponent gets to ask you a question, and vice versa. You must answer honestly, or else the opponent gets a free turn. The one who wins with the original rules can also ask someone to do something they want."

Shen frowned. He didn't want to have a game of interrogation included—the additional dare for losing didn't help either—but regardless he accepted it anyway. Losing wasn't his goal anyway, and bombarding Nyx with questions would be interesting. She wanted to play to get to know each other more, and Shen knew it. So, he accepted the challenge.

"How does this winner's prize work?" Shen asked suspiciously.

"Well, you just ask them to do one thing. Anything, as long as it's not too bad. Only one thing, but the duration of the requests depends on who asks and what is asked." The peacock smirked to himself as he thought of what he could do with his victory. Infinite delivery of food perhaps? There were many things.

"All right. Let's start."

"Do you wish to go first?" the swan asked.

"I'll allow you to go first," permitted Shen. Nyx nodded and moved a leaf. The peacock wondered why the swan didn't bother using rocks—they were more sturdy compared to the fragility of the leaves—for the game pieces, but he soon dismissed the thought.

The next moves just changed the position of several pieces, until Shen eliminated one of Nyx's leaves. A smirk emerged from the peacock's beak. Nyx's beak had a downward tilt, but she nodded and waited patiently.

"If you were to live anywhere other than China or Germany, where would you reside?"

"Interesting question. I'd say Italy," the swan answered.

"Oh? How come?"

"Only one question, Lord Shen," Nyx said amusedly, a small smile on her beak, "but I'll answer anyway. I think it's a wonderful country, despite its cons. I especially prefer living in the rural areas, as it's quite peaceful and beautiful. A little hectic to manage the . . . lower life, but you'll get used to it."

"Invaders can kill you."

"But usually it's the mainland they focus on," the swan rebutted. "And even so, at least the craze of civilization wouldn't be a concern in my mind. I would go there occasionally to trade goods, but I make and deal with my own resources."

For some reason, Shen thought Nyx was describing another life—one she might have lived. The peacock was a little disturbed that a noble would consider a living option as low as doing farm work, but he knew that was Nyx's preference. It intrigued him on the subject of what Nyx could have been doing before they met. Did Gerard and Lorelei make her do commoners' chores? Perhaps move to a farm? When Shen worked he did the jobs that didn't require physical strain, while his workers did the more tedious ones—like how his gorillas transported the cannons.

Shen huffed and eyed the board.

"You'll still get killed."

The swan breathed out a laugh as she moved a piece. "Fine by me, as long as there's tranquility in my lifestyle."

The two birds continued wth their game. Four more questions were asked by Shen, and two by Nyx; it was clear as to who was winning, but there was still hope for the latter. The questions were mostly simple, until the next few ones became a little more personal. Regardless, both parties persisted. Things became a little awkward when Nyx asked a question after eliminating a piece.

"Would you regret killing me? If I were to go against you," were the words that left the swan's bill.

"N-no," Shen answered, a little hesitant. The peacock then sighed. "All right, maybe I would, I suppose. There are many things that would make me regret my choices, but regardless I must do it. So in the end it really depends on how you betray me. My plans? No remorse."

"A little lengthy of an answer for a simple question." The swan cleared her throat and nodded softly. "But thank you for . . . possibly regretting to kill me?"

"Maybe, or maybe not," clarified Shen. "Like I said, it's how you betray me that would really make me consider."

Yet in some small part of Shen, he would have a strong guilt for his actions—if he were to eliminate the swan. A small chunk had already been torn off when his second-in-command was taken out, as there had been some fond memories of him in the past, so losing another person who could be considered a friend would be, admittedly, tragic. But as a fallen warlord plotting a new attempt at a revolutionary rise, he could and would kill whomever he wanted if it meant progressing forward. Shen shook his head and moved a leaf. Yes, he would kill the swan if she were to pose as a traitor. However, that didn't mean he was thatheartless to show no regard of his actions.

In the end the peacock achieved victory throughout the game, which didn't quite surprise Nyx; she knew Shen was smart. The swan clapped her wings and cleared the board.

"Good job. You did well," she congratulated. Nyx began to fidget with one of her feathers, waiting for Shen's request. A slight part of her regretted including an order for the losing player, but she hoped the peacock would be lenient. "Um, your orders now. You're the winner."

Shen tapped his feathers on the table thoughtfully. There were many things he could ask. Indeed, so many options. Not just infinite food delivery, but many more that were unspecified. Such as weapon polisher; house cleaner; and possibly training dummy? The last option was absolutely ridiculous and rather degrading, Shen knew, but he couldn't stop the thought from popping up. Then, just as soon as the thought went, a new one flickered in the peacock's mind. Though he wished for something more enjoyable to witness, it wasn't too bad . . . was it?

"Are we friends?" A light blush tinted the peacock's cheeks as he finished the question. Nyx tilted her head.

"Are we?" The swan's beak tilted up in a small smile. "From what we have been doing for the past few days, perhaps. But do you want to be official friends?"

Shen was definitely not good in the friendship department. One side found it embarrassing, while the other found it amusing. Still, Nyx found it quite hilarious, but she kept the chuckles to herself.

"Then I have decided on my request." The peacock cleared his throat. Now or never, he supposed. Time to try again. He had this thought that he may regret his next actions, but he decided it best not to miss a very good chance at something he had lost. As if by second nature, he pointed a feather-shaped knife towards the swan. Nyx jumped as the knife was held inches from her slender neck, but she maintained a curious expression. "I ask of you to be f-friends with me!"

All was silent. The peacock's blush intensified as the swan's stare bore holes into him. Then, Nyx bursted into a fit of laughter. One thing the albino was certain about, was that Nyx was definitely acting out of character. Never before had he heard the swan laugh, and it was certainly odd. Shen furrowed his brows as the wing holding the blade began to shake.

"Is there anything wrong? Because now I'm starting to regret what I said and am beginning to think of ways to kill you. Your death would definitely make up for the embarrassment." Of course, Shen was joking. Nyx knew that too, but she didn't say anything about it.

The swan waved her wing freely as she tried to muffle her laughter. Then she grasped Shen's exposed knife and slowly lowered it from her neck.

"Nothing, nothing! It's just such an interesting request—punishment, I mean. I expected something like being a training dummy for you and your men, or anything in a more embarrassing degree," she said, a small smirk on her bill. "But definitely." Nyx's cheek feathers rose slightly, which Shen soon noticed; hints of red were caught from the very tiny patches of exposed skin. The swan let out a small sigh. "You must be thinking of how peculiar I am being, but I shall be honest you: I will be your friend," she answered.

Shen's crest rose, while his eyes widened slightly. "Really?"

"Really." The swan released her hold on Shen's wing, which now rested on the table with his knife. It was only a few short moments that she realized her grip had moved from the blade to the albino's wing; a light blush burned her cheeks, which may or may not have been hidden by the raising feathers on her cheeks.

Shen raised a brow as he noticed the swan's growing discomfort, especially her shifting cheek feathers.

"Goosebumps?" he asked.

"No," replied Nyx. "Well, I'm no goose—despite sharing several physical similarities to them—but I suppose it's something similar to it. Occurs when I'm cold or feel odd. Don't you have them?"

"Admittedly, sometimes."

A silence followed shortly after. Again, it was awkward; and again, it wasn't too pleasant for the black swan in the room. With nothing else to focus on, Shen tucked away his knife, which Nyx decided to eye curiously. The peacock cleared his throat.

"F-friends then?" Nyx smiled at the albino's words.

"Friends," she agreed.

"So," Shen began, "what shall we do next?"

"There's nothing else, is there?" Nyx took the trays with her as she stood. "We can head back to work, or else the others may grow suspicious. I'm sure more topics will come to mind tomorrow night."

"Right." Shen stood and opened the door for Nyx. "I'll s-see you soon, I suppose."

The black swan nodded. "Certainly."

When Nyx exited, Shen let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. The peacock rubbed his beak in confusion as his chest tightened.

"What was that?" he wondered. Thankfully his speech returned just fine.

* * *

While cleaning the trays, Nyx was lost in thought. Thankfully Nian Gao was present, lest she commit an accident for acting aloof. The swan handed the cleaned trays to the weasel, who nodded and scampered off to store them.

"Fun time it was there," she spoke quietly to herself. She nodded as she came to a final decision. Nyx was going to help Shen be a better person. There was potential in him, so it was definitely a possibility.

The thought of accomplishing—or at least being a part of—the reformation of an infamous figure filled Nyx with delight and some other positive tingle. Pride, perhaps? Most likely not, as it felt different, but that might remain a mystery. Nyx smiled as she headed towards the group of soldiers nearby. Contrary to his snowy plumage, Shen had a dark heart, however it wasn't as black as the shadows in the night. So, it was deemed possible to help him. Yes, she would strive to help Shen be a better person. She just hoped her parents would remain patient and strong for her. Still, Shen needed help too.

Her parents. Again the family was separated, but with their age and newfound happiness upon their daughter's return, things may become worse. The thought filled Nyx with a wave of dread, but she shook her head and joined Nian Gao and the others.

The swan finalized her plans as she made her way towards the nearing group. Once again, however, she might deem them as not-so-good plans once they were to be initiated. Regardless, Nyx would try to be a helpful friend to Shen, and maybe he could even be a good help to the problem with Liu Wei. _Friend_ . . . Nyx befriended the fallen warlord. She chuckled at the thought, but she was glad to _hopefully_ be out of death's eye, as well as gaining the friendship of another—and an infamous peacock who was known to be evil, of all the people—from China's foreign lands.

"I finished putting away the trays!" announced Nian Gao as he ran towards the black swan. Nyx snapped out of her daze and nodded at the weasel.

"Thank you for helping," she said. "So what are you all doing? Perhaps I can partake in your activities?"

"Just exchanging stories," the weasel answered. His expression then brightened. "But we'll be telling the more exciting and action-packed ones!"

"I'd like to listen in then." And with that, Nyx joined the others. However, that didn't mean her plans flew past her mind. In fact, she had a feeling they would be initiated soon.

* * *

A goat screamed as a spear pierced his chest. The goat's voice soon ended in hoarse gasps as he collapsed, lifeless the moment his horns grazed the dirt. Growls and cries echoed throughout the village as weapons were thrown around. Liu Wei only stared in fascination as he eyed the massacre.

"P-please, no more!" pleaded another goat. She placed her hooves on her son's shoulder, presenting him forward. "My son may join, but please stop killing my family after!"

Liu Wei grinned as he glanced towards the nearby goats. He then nodded at a dhole beside him.

"Take him with us, as well as the others," he instructed. The canine nodded and herded the young goat and several more submissive villagers.

With Liu Wei leading the group, the village was doomed to a great loss and destruction. It just so happened to be near Gongmen City, but of course Liu Wei cared not; it most likely would be wonderful if the city were to know of his power in the world of villainy. While it wasn't the lynx's first village to have successfully been dominated, it was definitely the first near a big city. A massacre to a nearby village—including more in the future—would alert the city, making the threat seemingly more deadly. That was a part of Liu Wei's plan.

At the same time, more men were being gathered for the army, until eventually it would be big enough to do a large sweep across China. Liu Wei, being the leader of that army, would dominate; he was thinking of dictating the Chinese government, however he had to take out every single one of the country's officials and royalty, especially the Emperor and his family. That, however, would be for a later time.

Liu Wei chuckled as he scanned the fire spreading from building to building. There was also a cruel exchange in the distance that made Liu Wei smirk victoriously.

"Mom!" A young bunny scampered towards his mother, but was stopped by a boar. The bunny's mother cried out as she watched her son be taken away.

"Every man counts right now, be it big or small. Once given proper training your son will be able to help us create a fair system for this country," the boar said, a somber look in his eyes; there was a noticeable lack of meaning behind his words. Clearly he was simply following orders, lest there be consequences for not just him but also his family and maybe his own distant home town. The mother shook her head vigorously as tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Please no! He's just a boy! His tenth birthday only happened last week!" The bunny extended her arm towards her son desperately. "I-I don't want my son to go! P-please, he's too young! No! No—"

A weasel clamped the bunny's mouth angrily. The younger bunny in the boar's grasp only screamed and bawled as his mother was separated from him. Meanwhile with Liu Wei, he was roaring in laughter. He clutched his sides and used his axe as a support, trying to seal his humour. When Liu Wei regained control, he grinned maniacally.

"This is truly the life!" the lynx exclaimed excitedly as he stretched his arms widely towards the destruction. Buildings were burning; villagers of the male population were either being taken away for the army or murdered; families were killed brutally and watched as their husbands, fathers, sons, and brothers were forced to be conscripted for an evil; and resources were being hoarded and stolen shamelessly. While the soldiers were doing most of the work, that didn't mean it was easy for them, especially since majority went through the same experience prior to working for Liu Wei. Regardless, their suffering made the lynx feel quite ecstatic.

When the village eventually succumbed to Liu Wei, the raiders soon left with the male villagers. Ashes and bodies were strewn across the fallen village, but the look of sorrow and hopelessness in the eyes of the folk spoke tons of the tragedy they went through. It wouldn't be long until Gongmen City noticed.

* * *

"A nearby village was taken out?" Master Croc asked the goose before him. The bird nodded in confirmation.

"It happened only several hours ago! The village isn't that far out, so travel won't take long even on foot," said the goose. "Another flight out for me, but they were calling out and I answered. What's going to happen, Master?"

Master Ox slammed his hoof on the table. He huffed angrily as he scanned the council.

"Must be those festival raiders again," he speculated. "They took our goods and ruined a city celebration, but causing needless death and destruction has gone too far!" The ox looked at Croc irately. "I say we bring justice!"

"Oh yeah!" exclaimed a certain panda as he lifted his fist excitedly. The Furious Five shared solemn glances before staring at Po scoldingly.

"Any news on our daughter's whereabouts?" piped up Lorelei as she held her husband's wing. The goose shook his head.

"Unfortunately not, milady. The village didn't consist of any birds." The smaller waterfowl then clapped his wings in realization. "However, I did notice something interesting!" Every head perked up and listened carefully to the goose's words. "The village's male population was severely lacking, as if the men were the main targets. Women and toddlers were either left behind or murdered. But definitely the male population could play a role in the raiders' plans."

"I mean no offence to Masters Tigress and Viper"—Gerard glanced towards the female warriors, who merely nodded—"but usually it is the male population who are chosen to be a part of a large battle. Like a war, for example. Soldiers are typically only male, except for those cases in which women can prove themselves worthy. This only a guess I am making, but i-if I am right, then they could be planning to make some kind of—"

"A-army!" Lorelei realized. "But they've already done enough damage to the city!"

"Then perhaps it is a warning," said Croc. "With all that has transpired lately, Gongmen's docks will definitely be closed off, as well as the city's borders; no one can neither exit nor enter. We'll remain, in a way, trapped within the city as something is beginning to brew outside." The reptile tapped his fingers thoughtfully. "We'd become a large target. As a big city, we have the resources they may need. The waters at the harbour can also branch off to many key places. It's like with Lord Shen and his cannons! Spread out through the waters from Gongmen, then aim for domination."

"But what kind of domination?" wondered Po. Everyone looked at him questioningly. "We've been through the domination of Kung Fu, then an attempt to dominate China for politics and fireworks! What's next, domination of magical powers and the afterlife?"

"You know, that's a good point," remarked Mantis. "We're always dragged into those messes—not that I'm complaining since by far I'm enjoying this life. Anyway, usually it involves some kind of gang that wants to be on top. I mean, seriously, I think they should get some hobbies."

"I'm pretty sure doing Kung Fu and messing with fire is a hobby," chirped Crane. At this point, it was clear as day as to who was being referenced.

Lorelei cleared her throat. "We are digressing. We're also starting to think too far ahead. These assumptions may lead to our downfall."

"But we can only make these guesses based on the clues," said Croc. "Yes, we shouldn't assume, but we need to at least piece together what's going on."

"I only hope my daughter is safe out there, wherever she is," Lorelei said, clenching a wing to her chest. "This situation is getting big. For all we know, the village destroyers may not even be those festival raiders from weeks ago. Of course, there was evidence provided, but there is just so many things going on! I have no wish to drag anyone else into this mess!" The swan then dragged her wing down her face in despair. "Never have I considered this vacation turning into a possible war in the future, or the time my daughter would once again disappear," she muttered.

"Shall we summon the soothsayer?" suggested Gerard. "Perhaps she can help us."

Lorelei shook her head sullenly. "Let the poor lady rest, dear. We cannot bring such a burden onto another person's shoulders."

The council continued to speak of possible solutions to the situation. During their planning the goose snuck out, but that didn't slow the intensity of the conversation. Master Ox unraveled a map of the city on the table, piquing the others' interest. There was a tense silence as Ox pointed a hoof on the outside of the city.

"Help and protection would benefit the city at this time. So, we shall send out the Dragon Warrior and his group." Ox's hoof circled the edge of the map. "They will protect the borders of the city, as well as keeping watch for any suspicious activity. This may go on for, let's say, three days. Our strong forces should not just be sent out like that. We will protect the inner parts of the city. Sending out more soldiers would be helpful later. I think it would also be best to protect the swans once they are done."

"But the masters will defend?" questioned Gerard. "I apologize, the tension runs high. My wife and I just lost our daughter mere weeks ago and we're still trying to cope. The addition of another problem makes things harder to deal with for us."

"Don't worry, Nyx will return! I just know it," assured Po, smiling confidently. Lorelei smiled sadly, nodding hopefully.

"Thank you. For now, I suppose we shall go with Master Ox's suggestion. Perhaps you may even stumble upon my daughter as you go through your duties. And fret not, my husband and I will try our best to remain strong and help deal with this growing problem. As leaders ourselves, we may prove useful for this situation." The female swan nodded towards her husband, who agreed in solemn silence.

"When are we to be sent out?" wondered Viper.

"As soon as possible," Ox answered. "So go and get yourselves ready!"

Croc sighed and nodded at everyone. Those present got the hint and stood, preparing for their next activities.

The reptile cleared his throat. "Council dismissed!"

* * *

Glowing brightly, the image swirled hauntingly. Black disappearing; splotches of red among white; feathers; swans. The soothsayer sighed as the images faded, leaving ashes and remnants of feathers and fabrics in the bowl.

"It remains the same, like it always does with visions relating to him," muttered the goat.

Except for one change. A large black heart, swirling endlessly until gradually fading into white with a touch of a feather. The rest continued like the previous session. Such a change must have occurred from a certain fulfillment. That meant the black swan was still alive, and it relieved the soothsayer. That also meant one thing.

"She is safe with him," the soothsayer whispered, a small smile growing on her face. "And with her help he can become someone better."


	15. New Bonds

**A/N: Sorry if this chapter may bore some of you. But hey, it strengthens and proves the slowburn (and I warned you through mentioning it in the summary)! Of course, there will be more chapters like these in the future because slowburn (okay, I don't know, I ain't giving anything away and my recollection of stuff is kinda being bad to me)! Okay, okay, I'll let you read now . . . unless you're one of those readers who skips the Author's Notes and dives straight into the story, then I understand because that's pretty much me most of the time. **

**And jeez did I end up accidentally typing out the new longest chapter simply out of two characters hanging out together? Wow. Apparently the more relaxed chapters are longer than the action-packed ones (unless you count a developing friendship and love as action-packed in your book). Gah! I'm so sorry if that's the case, but if you like these kinds of chapters then enjoy the treat (I guess, hehehe)! Originally this chapter wasn't supposed to be _that_ long but you know what? Whatever! Oh gosh I'm hoping this didn't turn out like a typical Wattpad romance story (maybe a little) because I've been reading a bajillion of those during my slacking o—I mean break! So another apology if I got influenced, but I did make sure to stay true to this chapter's plans! Okay, you may read now!**

**Disclaimer: _Kung Fu Panda_ belongs to _DreamWorks Animation_.**

* * *

Chapter 14 – New Bonds

* * *

The moon shone brightly in the cloudless sky. Night was quick to rise for its job, as were the people when wrapping up their day. Almost everyone in the camp had gone to rest, except for a few.

Grass crunched as Shen distanced himself from the old house. The peacock stopped for a moment, blood-red eyes greeting the moon. Night equaled to curfews and sleep, which usually equaled to peace. Those late hours were delightful to Shen, but the degree of peace really depended on the location; sometimes Gongmen City had just as much hustle and bustle as its daytime activities, so Shen couldn't really vouch for a full night's peace in his years there. That didn't mean large cities like Gongmen were always lively, but the stillness and serenity wasn't fully guaranteed.

Sighing, Shen resumed his walk.

Early in the morning Shen and Nyx had discussed a rendezvous point for their current—and possibly future—nightly activities. That meeting point was Nyx's shed. However, they certainly were moving on someplace else once their time started. Shen decided on taking a stroll around the lake shores, but he had no plans on spoiling the location to his fellow avian friend. Sometime by the end of the night, it was decided that Nyx would show him the fruit trees she discovered.

By the time Shen reached Nyx's little residence, said swan was already waiting outside, leaning against the shack's wall. Her eyes were directed towards the sky, but then shifted when Shen cleared his throat. The peacock nodded when he was answered with a small smile.

"Good evening, Lord Shen," greeted Nyx as she neared the albino.

"Good evening to you too, Lady Nyx."

"Thank you. Are you ready for a different . . . bonding activity?" Nyx asked, referring to their nightly trip.

"Erm, yes. Now, shall we?" Shen tilted his head towards the path to the lake. "A stroll, preferably."

The black swan nodded as Shen led the way.

"All right. I'd like a nice walk in the night too, Lord Shen," she said as she followed suit.

As he was walking, Shen admired the darkness of the forest. Due to the lack of night vision, his eyes were slightly squinted for a clearer view. There was a faint light from the moon, but overall the forest was mostly blanketed by the night. The faint sounds of crickets chirping and small rustling of foliage could also be heard, which Shen found calming. It was very late—almost nearing midnight, Shen guessed, but he was anything but tired to miss other details of the environment; he grew used to a late curfew, as suggested by his dark lids. Behind him, Nyx was making the same observations.

Tranquility was also easily brought out with the comfortable silence between the two birds. The lack of speech was also unnoticed due to the two avians' preoccupation with sightseeing. It wasn't until the lake grew visible that Nyx decided to speak.

"I never did get to enjoy the scenery, as I was too busy making my escape the last time I went here," remarked the swan. "I'm glad you chose this location, milord. I have to admit, the forest can be beautiful at this hour. The night can be quite enjoyable if you find the good qualities that are scattered in the area."

Shen turned his head, but didn't slow his pace. His gaze settled on the swan, whose own eyes were looking towards the nearing lake.

"Agreed. Sometimes a walk such as this can serve a chance to admire nature and feel a calm wash over you. Sights like these can be inspiring." The albino returned his focus to their destination, quietly muttering, "And I hope you no longer have any plans of troubling me with another escape attempt."

The small smirk that plastered itself on Nyx's face went unnoticed by the peacock. "I heard that."

Eventually the trees gave way to an open area, exposing the lake completely.

The two birds stopped when they stood mere feet from the water. While Nyx simply stared at the moon, Shen looked around before dipping his head to stare at his reflection. Despite the rippling and blurry image that stared back, the peacock could recognize the fatigue behind his eyes. Long hours spent at the forge, and more in his tent to continue formulating an intricate plan for his next moves. But even through all that, a faint glimmer was hidden beneath that tiredness—something familiar, yet at the same time no longer discernible from the period of time of lacking that mere detail. It seemed positive to him, but that mystery may be left unanswered. Shen furrowed his brow as he decided to concentrate on his plumage instead.

White as always, like snow. No dirt or grime from all those hours at the forge with his men. It both surprised and pleased him that he could keep his plumage in such a state of cleanliness in a messy environment. However, no matter how white his feathers were, there was the one fact that would remain: For too many times to count, said white feathers had been tarnished with the dark redness of blood. While his actions were no longer physically evident, it didn't help his case that it still happened at one point. And they weren't exactly laudable either; the occasional fellow criminal fell victim, but innocent were definitely involved once, with the panda village serving as solid enough proof.

At this point, Shen was unknowingly clenching his wings beneath his sleeves. The peacock frowned and shook his head. Finished with his thoughts, Shen shifted his focus to the swan beside him, who was looking at him with a hint of worry. For Nyx, she took Shen's silence as a chance to speak.

"Are you all right?" she asked. Shen merely nodded and began to move.

"Yes, yes. I was just lost in thought. The lake can do that to me sometimes. It's a place where I go to think, if I haven't mentioned that yet." Shen kept a steady pace as he strolled by the shoreline.

Nyx accelerated her own pace until she walked beside Shen. The peacock's head was turned to the lake, eyes unseen by the swan but glazed in thought.

"I do not mean to offend," began Shen as his gaze focused on the swan beside him, "but I don't think you are supposed to be in this country."

Nyx met Shen's gaze with a questioning look. It was a random remark, but the thought and curiosity just appeared and escaped the peacock's beak without thinking.

"How so?" she responded, not annoyed but intrigued.

"Then let me rephrase it: Why are you in such a distant country? You and your parents hail from Germany, which is very, very far. Gerard and Lorelei also never mentioned much about you, so if they were to visit then I expected it to be just the two of them."

"Grief may be the answer to their silence," whispered Nyx, a melancholic look in her lowered eyes. She shook her head then looked back at Shen blankly. What trace of sadness that lingered in her eyes was gone, as if she had never felt the emotion as she spoke. "To make my answer as simple as possible, my mother suggested we go."

"Of course she would," mumbled Shen, as if he already knew the answer. The two were facing the lake, both having stopped their walk. Nyx looked at her wings, then at her reflection.

"My parents received a letter from Gongmen City." Nyx then chuckled. "If memory serves right, I am fairly sure my mother never did finish her explanation of that scroll. I still have so much to learn about your country's main language, so the symbols on it were a little unclear to me. Maybe it had something to do with the festival." The swan shook her head in amusement. "Anyway, my mother took it as an opportunity to visit. She also wanted me to take a little break from my new lessons and assimilation to nobility. And to be honest, yes, it was tiring for me. There was just so much to take in."

Shen didn't want to press on, but curiosity began to scorch his tongue when Nyx spoke of her integrations. It was as if the swan was almost unfamiliar with the concept of being a part of nobility. However, Shen wasn't about to let an interrogation ruin the surprisingly enjoyable night. So he didn't push further; perhaps he would get answers eventually, but his own story would only be revealed to someone very special and willing to accept his crimes. And yet, his crimes would continue, with the way his plans were going. Reworded: Someone who would accept him as who he was. He held no expectations of such a person entering his life anytime soon.

The peacock was brought out of his thoughts when his companion continued to speak.

"We set off as soon as we were done preparing for the journey. The entire trip on the way to China took many weeks—which admittedly, were rather boring, with the thrill of the scenery eventually fading in the first few days—and it was through my parents' usual mode of transportation. Flying was definitely not an option, as all the luggage would have been very hard to carry with on such a long trip. So we went through a carriage pulled by two stallions. Hopefully they are currently enjoying their stay, as I'm sure the journey was incredibly tiring for them," Nyx said.

"Until now I still question how your parents tolerates the method of travel." Shen's eyes bore into Nyx's own. "You rested in the carriage with them, yes? For all those weeks?"

Nyx nodded. "Correct. Of course I'd occasionally get some fresh air in the night before retreating."

Shen huffed.

"Another thought regarding your family still plagues me up until now. That thought being why your parents chose China of all countries to visit. Europe is filled with many more countries, albeit smaller," he said.

Nyx chuckled, before replying, "I also wonder about that. They have an interesting choice of destinations, but they only wish for peace."

"Definitely."

"Yes, in fact," Nyx said, a small smile creeping up her beak, "that's how I got my name."

Shen's crest raised in interest.

"Oh? Do tell, dear," he urged.

"I do not know why, but you sound like my mother," Nyx remarked.

"Well?" Shen could see the way the black swan nearly rolled her eyes at his impatience, but she cleared her throat and started her tale.

"Shortly before I hatched, my parents went on a trip," she began. "They went to Greece, one of the many countries in Europe. The journey wasn't as far as the trip to China, but it was still quite the distance between Germany and Greece. My parents were awed by the culture, especially its mythology, so they stayed there for a bit.

"From what I recall, I am sure they stayed there just as long as they did when they first visited Gongmen City, however they didn't form a close-knit with the leaders like they did with your parents. Regardless, they said they enjoyed their stay very much. I was glad, and that made me wish to see the country as well, but I have a feeling I would be preoccupied with other things in the future." Nyx then placed a pondering wing under her chin. "Back on topic, my parents decided to look more into Greek mythology. Intrigued, they looked into several of Greece's famous mythological figures. Some names stood out to them, and it was then that my mother decided I would be named after one of them."

Nyx took a slight pause for a small breather.

"Interesting tale," commented Shen. Though he sounded a little disinterested, he was somehow genuinely intrigued. He then waved his wing, signalling for the swan to continue. The black swan beside him nodded.

"There were so many names that Mother listed," continued Nyx. "And she couldn't decide. There was also the fact that my parents didn't know my gender yet. That gave them many options." Nyx craned her neck and glanced at Shen's reflection in the water. Her ruby eyes held a tinge of amusement as she raised her head and looked at Shen. "My parents told me of the names they had in mind before my hatching. If I were born male, I would have been named after one of the Greek heroes. I forgot the name of their main choice, but I remember something about special battle equipment and a head of snakes. If I were born female, however, I would have been named after the Greek goddess of wisdom."

"From the previous choices you've made," muttered Shen, "I doubt you would perfectly fit those options."

Nyx frowned, then chuckled as she shook her head.

"Definitely not. I'm neither a worthy heroine nor a wisdom-filled lady," she replied.

"So how did they finally settle for your name?" Shen wondered.

"Well," said Nyx, "they didn't decide until I hatched. As you can see"—Nyx stroke the dark feathers of her slender neck—"I wasn't born as a swan with feathers as white as my parents'. My dark feathers came later, but the down I had when I hatched was a very dark grey—almost black and definitely darker than a normal cygnet's usual silver down. However, my tiny form was also mottled with white specks on my feathers, according to my parents. Though not exactly like it, my appearance reminded my mother of a sky of stars, and so she decided. Father agreed because he found Mother's ideas beautiful."

"A sky of stars?" Shen imagined a tiny, near-black cygnet; white splotches speckled on the dark canvas of down. An odd feeling of warmth filled his chest, but he chose to ignore it. "Why Nyx?"

"Mother was reminded of the night sky. And she could have simply settled for just the Greek goddess of the moon, she decided on the night itself. Thus I was given my name, after the Greek goddess of the night," Nyx finished. She then laughed quietly. "Coincidentally, my feathers did become the colour of the night sky as I grew older, minus the 'stars'. In the end, only most of the tips of my wings are white."

"That is quite a story, for just your name," said Shen. "My name was given to me because of my feathers. I think my . . . father agreed upon it in hopes of my great potential."

"So I've heard," Nyx replied, ignoring the peacock's slight pause. "I was given some details when my parents were telling one of their anecdotes. Actually, I found out about it on the way to China."

The two spoke no other words. They simply focused on their reflections in the water.

Shen shifted his gaze to the moon, then to the stars that were visible. He didn't know why, but he tried imprinting the night sky into a swan's feathers. Lorelei definitely had an artistic mind, considering some of the outfits Shen had seen her wear during her past visits. It was no surprise she chose a name that matched something beautiful—the night paired with a swan, both known to be magnificent things in the world.

Hesitantly, the peacock then moved his eyes to the swan beside him. To Shen's slight surprise, Nyx had a blank look on her face as she stared at the water. That, however, didn't hide the glimpse of turmoil in her eyes. Her eyes were practically like windows, and yet the lack of expression in her eyes that Shen had recently seen was quite unexpected. Perhaps he may have misjudged the openness of emotion in Nyx's eyes. Overall, Shen thought of the swan as a decent being, but had they met under different circumstances then perhaps he would have left her to the outside dangers of the country. Maybe, he would have even taken the opportunity to kill her, but there was nothing fulfilling about that.

Another surprising thing was the hate that had been lacking in recent days. Whereas Nyx had been the one to take initiative to start the amicable approaches, Shen was the one to try and make their new friendship official. It was a strange thing indeed—how a feeling of anger and annoyance for someone can turn into something more tolerable and positive, once you get to know them properly. He didn't want to admit it, but Shen truly enjoyed Nyx's company; it was a nice change of pace, considering that he caused the demise of his only friend. Even so, friendship was a factor when it came to the possible hindrances in his plans. But then, why did he feel reluctant all of a sudden? Were his morals changing? Was he starting to doubt his goals—the big plans he had been formulating since he was a mere teenager?

He hated it. But at the same time, it somehow accompanied the unidentifiable jolts in his chest. It either felt good or bad. That familiar, mysterious, disgusting sensation of—

"Shall we move on? You have that concerning look on your face," blurted Nyx, her attention completely focused on Shen. Her eyes then turned to the ripples a little out from shore. "Maybe progressing this walk may further calm your turbulence?"

Shen eyed the flat stones he grasped. Unknowingly, he began skipping them on the lake's surface. It seemed the whirring thoughts in his head had gotten to him. He recalled his wolves mentioning his occasional open display of his emotions, which in the end would often lead to them being shouted at with death threats. Frustration then began to build up inside him, boiling and raging in a need to escape. Reluctantly, Shen released his hold on the stones. His expression also loosened, formerly scrunched up in thought. The peacock sighed as he tried to hide the growing blush on his cheeks.

"Let us continue then," he agreed, nodding and resuming his steps. Nyx only clicked her beak and followed behind.

Soon the surroundings occupied Shen's mind once again. No longer did his doubts and feelings control his head, but rather the details of his environment. There were things that still piqued his interest, even before Nyx entered the picture. Things such as the mountains beside the lake possibly acting as a wall of protection from any intruders; how far one can see from those mountains if they were to climb up to the very top; whether or not the lake had any fish, and if any evidence of life was positive then maybe the reason why Shen hadn't seen anything else besides dark blue; how deep the lake waters were; and many more things unspecified. Those curiosities were why he chose the lake as a thinking spot.

"It's no wonder you find this a good place for contemplation," remarked Nyx. "I would visit this place too. Or maybe that is the swan in me showing. Lakes are almost like a safe haven for us, because little to no one can reach us when we are swimming in the middle of it."

"Oh?" Shen turned his head to the swan. "Do you have any plans of swimming in this lake then?"

"I don't know whether I should respond to that question with embarrassment or indignation," Nyx said.

That confused Shen. "What?"

"Wearing these robes in the water would drag me down. There's not much outfits to choose from out here, too, as well as the fact my blanket and hanfu are the only things I can wear," Nyx hinted, a small, amused smirk etching itself on her face.

Unfortunately Shen still didn't get the message. He furrowed his brows and sighed.

"I'm afraid I still don't understand, but we must move on anyway. Just answer the question." Women and their clothes . . . At least his mother had a humble wardrobe. Nyx shook her head, smiling sardonically.

"Possibly, but I would prefer to go an a swim alone." She emphasized the last word clearly.

"Maybe If I'm certain you won't just escape to nowhere, then I might just allow that."

"You still don't quite trust me, do you?" Unbeknownst to Shen, Nyx's own words somehow made her feel a pang of hurt. Of course, they hadn't been friends for long. It took a few months until Nyx herself could fully deem her other friends as trustworthy; she was referring to the only friends she had in Italy, which wasn't very many.

"You may be my friend now, but with your previous plans and actions, cynicism would be expected from me," said Shen.

"I wouldn't blame you, and I was being a little selfish. I—I just wanted to go back to where my parents were. Not that I haven't been enjoying everyone's company here, but had I been with my mother and father, then maybe I would not even be here. Maybe Liu Wei wouldn't be pursuing me so aggressively, or know about me at all. And if things had gone smoothly—the visit, the festival, the state of the city—I probably would be in the carriage with my parents right now, on our way back to Germany—that very, very far country where I live, continuing my lessons once I have fully recovered and maybe even being assigned suitors by my mother because my youth is not everlasting and my love life so far is just plain nonexistent!" Nyx paused, looking down in slight embarrassment. She hadn't realized she began rambling, until only very recently. "The servants might be the only ones who could come close to being my friends, even if I wouldn't fully consider them as such. Whenever I went out, barely anyone decided to know me because they were either intimidated or had their interests somewhere else; I didn't seem to fit in at all. And yet, I have acquainted myself to more people here than I have during my short time in Germany. It's both interesting and a little sad."

"What do you want then?" Shen asked suddenly, raising a brow at the swan behind him. "Frankly, if all that transpired never occurred, then we would have never met. You may be returning to Germany on some other path, but on that same one I might have been waging a war of domination against that old lynx. And let's say, had I won, your next visit with your parents may have been your last—because I would have trapped you three in the country, despite giving you more luxuries than others because of the relations your parents had with me. But of course, there's that panda."

"Your words seem a little invalid," countered Nyx. "Even now, you still have similar plans in mind, Lord Shen. Even with my presence here, I know for a fact that your goals of ruling the country still exist and are waiting to be executed. So I really see no point in your—"

"And yet for the past several days a feeling of reluctance has been plaguing my head whenever one of my plans are brought up," Shen interrupted, angered. He fully turned himself to face the swan. Circling around Nyx, he glared at her until he stopped, standing right between her and the shore. His eyes bore holes into the swan, frustration slowly rising every second. "Your friendship games seem to be taunting me, Lady Nyx. While you are my friend, it's almost as if you are tantalizing me with the times we have been together. It is as if you have a motive."

Nyx, a little shocked, took a step forward, which only led to Shen taking a step back. "Even if I do have any motives, I assure you it is not bad in any way. I have no regrets befriending you, milord, and I greatly enjoyed our times together. A wish I have for you is to cease your crazy plans and decide on something better. The world is open, so I'm sure there is more to life than taking over a country to simply show off an invention. I'm sure . . . my parents can help you, only if you let them. You are like family to them."

"Are you suggesting I'm only going with my plans over my weapons?" Shen growled. "I have more reasons, and using my brilliance for revolutionary benefits is one of them! And I am definitely not going to be a coward and just run to your parents for protection like some defenceless child!"

"How conceited," Nyx uttered, taking another step forward. "Do specify those other reasons. I'd like to know what I'm getting myself into now, as your friend."

Shen's eyes widened. "C-conceited? Fine, I shall state every. Single. One! You may be of a high social standing now, but with your short time as nobility I bet you have little to say about political issues."

Their quarrel continued on the same pattern. Every step forward was countered by another backwards, alongside insults and snide remarks. Despite the heated argument, not one managed to cross the line . . . until Nyx spoke.

"Your parents must be very dissatisfied with where you've come," she hissed. "I definitely would be, knowing what you've done."

"Y-you—!" Shen's face heated in fury. He took an offended step back as he continued to process the swan's words. Reflexively, Shen unsheathed a knife beneath his sleeve. His crest raised threateningly, but his train remained still. "You don't know anything, nor will you ever understand! My goals, my plans, they are to also prove myself! For so long, I have been looked down upon, despite being royalty, but now I—"

As they fought, the two birds didn't realize the growing nearness of the water. If their places were switched, Nyx may have been better off. But unfortunately for Shen, he stood the closest to the water. It didn't take long until the talons of his gauntlets caught itself between the slippery rocks, causing the peacock to fall backwards. Shen may have gone to the lake enough times to know the surroundings, but he didn't know the finer details of it. The water's depth was one of them.

Snapping out of her angered daze, Nyx's eyes widened as she extended a wing towards the albino. She was ashamed to have acted so rudely—not only was she taught not to act in such a way, it didn't fit correctly with her morals—but at the same time immense worry for her friend.

"Shen!"

The peacock landed with a loud splash. Nyx made a dash for Shen, stopping beside him. Thankfully the water wasn't too deep, but Shen might have hit his head, with the way he was rubbing the back of it. His robe was also soaked, but not entirely; it still made him more prone to the chill of night. On the other hand, the edges of Nyx's hanfu were the only parts that got wet, and the cold water clearly didn't bother her.

Shen squinted as he dropped his wing, trying to process everything. He turned his head as his gaze met Nyx's. The swan responded with a sad smile.

"That was terribly childish of us." Nyx looked down shamefully. "Oh, Shen, I am so sorry. I didn't mean any of what I said. I just . . . I really did not mean to be caught up in all that anger. That was not me at all!"

Shen chuckled darkly, secretly sheathing his knife. "That could have ended worse. Maybe you would have been the one to fall instead, but with a knife lodged to your neck."

Nyx's beak tilted slightly upwards. "Then I'm glad it didn't end that way."

Ignoring the increasing cold, the two birds stared at the water. Ripples were still being made, but the waters were calmer. Nyx looked at Shen with sad eyes, to which the peacock returned with a questioning look. Their gazes might have missed each other, had the moon not been shining directly upon them.

"I'm a selfish person," the swan admitted, "and you may agree. I started this whole thing. I was practically taunting you with my horrible words. My desires, I also want them to be fulfilled. The need to see my parents; the want to return to them and go back to our home country and have peace return to us; the aching desire to run away from all my growing problems in this place.

"When I was planning to flee, my intentions were simply to forget everything that happened here and reunite with my parents, then leave the fighting to the 'professionals' and return to Germany to go back to my old routine. But really, coming here was both a blessing and a curse. My mind has been opened up to so much more than all my lessons combined, and I've been introduced to so many wonderful people—both here and in Gongmen." Nyx averted her gaze from the peacock in front of her, quietly fidgeting with her wings. "But at the same time, coming here has also opened me up to so many problems and situations that I didn't think I would everface. Sometimes this drama is becoming a little . . . overwhelming and unnecessary. I—I fear what may happen in the future, if things continue like this," she whispered.

"You aren't wrong to worry," responded Shen. He sighed as he felt for his gauntlets. "But I suppose you got to taste some of the crazy in this place."

"I . . . slightly feel as if we are simply acting like sitting ducks—frolicking and playing these 'friendship games' you speak of, but doing nothing about the current situation—well, Gongmen's situation, to be exact, as well as the growing issue with Liu Wei."

"I'm a little surprised you didn't include me. I am still quite the threat, but I only chose to spare you because you proved to be a useful asset at the base. Befriending you was only a bonus and an unexpected occurrence."

"R-right."

"Yes, so don't think being your friend means playing a full good-guy act right after. I am still myself, after all." Once again, Nyx's gaze met Shen's. Her eyes screamed an open nervousness, which was a new thing for Shen. He supposed there was still more to learn about the swan. Soon enough, Nyx regained her composure, looking at Shen solemnly.

"Well, are you at least all right?" the swan asked, extending an aiding wing.

"Yes, yes, mostly." Shen accepted the wing, using it for stability as he stood. He dislodged his gauntlets from the stones, unbuckling them from his feet while doing so. Once they were off he simply held them in a snowy wing. Thankfully the water was deep enough to hide his hideous scars, and even if it weren't the depth it would be unnoticed through the darkness of the night.

"Are you still mad? Maybe we can end things here if you need to cool down, if you want?"

"Annoyed seems to be a more befitting word at the moment," answered Shen. "But to answer, no and no. My anger is now directed more to my drenched clothing. We've also progressed this far, and surprisingly I've learned quite a bit about you from this night." Shen then mumbled, more to himself, "Maybe in the earlier days I would have ended this activity, but I suppose friends can make a difference sometimes. And yet, how come hedidn't make much of an impact in the later years?"

His last words went unnoticed by the swan.

"Then let's go, but how about we get ourselves dried up first?" suggested Nyx.

"Agreed."

* * *

The path to the grove wasn't too far. It took a few minutes' walk in silence, until a conversation was initiated upon reaching the forested area. Considering the previous fight they had, it was a little awkward, but the negativity had dwindled down.

Upon reaching the area of fruited vegetation, Shen chose to hide in one of the thicker bushes. There he sat for privacy, while his robe was carefully hung a tree branch; his gauntlets were placed on the grass below it, but his other weapons were still hidden in a place where only Shen knew. Before that he wrung his dripping train—which was a heavy drag on the way to the grove, but both Shen and Nyx didn't mention the obvious detail—which left a small puddle beside his bush; to Shen's dismay, the feathers were ruined, but in the end he decided to fix it once he returned to the house fully dry.

At least it was warmer, compared to the lake. They were out in the open—and dipped in the freezing water—so it was easy for the chill to strike. That didn't mean it wasn't cold, however; the bush was a godsend, because Shen had dignity and he didn't want to freeze to death in his wet, silken robe.

Nyx, on the other hand, simply kept her clothes on, considering that only the bottom part was wet. She didn't mind, with all the puddles she walked through in fields and on the way to markets during her previous years. Though, she did need more clothes.

As the two sat at a respective distance, they began to speak again. While Shen sheltered himself behind the bush, Nyx took the opportunity to explain about the grove. She even tossed him a peach; typically they didn't grow where they were, but somehow she found a tree somewhere in the grove. There were even some wild berries in Shen's bush, but he dared not try it due to the possibility of food poisoning.

"I took the risk and tried one of the wild fruit," Nyx explained as she bit into a peach. She tossed away the pit once she finished. "Nothing happened, and so I deemed it safe to consume. I grabbed more and stored it somewhere in my living space. If you've noticed, I gave a few away for the following days they were abundant. Of course, I gave the first portion to Nian Gao in the form of a salad, as a part of the end of betting week. That was assuming they were able to eat similar things I did, and I am glad I wasn't wrong."

"I did," replied Shen. He then huffed, peeved. "And I still find that week ridiculous. We should be working instead of doing silly little things!"

"That week is their way of having fun during grey days. Out here we are the only residents, and those poor men have been plucked right out of their families! And need I remind you, we wouldn't be friends if you had that rule, nor would we be here right now." Nyx frowned.

That kept Shen's beak shut. Nyx sighed.

"What do you think of this place?" she asked.

"Not as relaxing and breathtaking as the lake, but I would go here if I wish to be somewhere different. Maybe a place to have a snack or two every now and then," voiced Shen.

"Then you may, because this place is completely open to everyone. I just happened to stumble upon it in during my nightly stroll."

The two fell silent. Shen took the chance to take another look at his surroundings.

Trees and bushes surrounded them, but aside from the one bush where Shen was, they were in an open area. Moonlight streamed through the opening, but coming in smaller beams around the edges. It was eerily bright, but at the same time beautiful as it still held the aura of night. Scattered around the surrounding trees were fruit of various kinds, but the most noticeable one was the peaches on one tree. Indeed, it was beautiful, however Shen still preferred the lake. But as he said, he though on visiting when he wanted a good, natural snack.

Shen turned his head to Nyx, who simply sat with her head tilted to the moon. She looked very relaxed.

"You seem less tense," remarked Shen. He raised a brow in curiosity. "These glimpses of such a state are rare, in my opinion. I do not mean to sound childish, but why?"

Nyx closed her eyes, a smile growing on her beak.

"Now I don't mean to respond with something equally as childish, but I guess it's the magic of this night. And you," she answered. Her eyes reopened and her gaze met with Shen's.

Relief was written clearly in her eyes, Shen noted. He also noticed . . . something else in them. He couldn't exactly pinpoint what, but he decided to pass it off as a form of warmth.

"You, Shen, make me feel oddly relaxed. It's easier to be less formal, and act more carefree and myself when I'm around you. You must have been shocked at my odd behaviour; I was too, but I suppose it's this familiar feeling of relief and ease with you. Of course, the informality is easier as our time together progressed, but it's been a remarkably short time since officially being friends. Sometimes my parents can make me this way, but even I have to put walls because I've only known them for so long; there is also this level of respect you have to maintain because . . . they're my parents, you know? Well, that is my way of acting around them," she admitted. Her smile slowly grew, until it radiated a warmth that made Shen want to return it with a smile of his own. Then, it fell, only to be replaced by a wistful look. "Such ease I've felt . . . I recall feeling around some longtime friends from a very far place—not Germany. The emotions I felt when I knew I had to leave them—it was excruciatingly horrible. But being around you has revived that ease I lost around a year ago. While our first time meeting wasn't exactly perfect, we eventually got to a point that I can agree to us being friends."

Shen only listened, not bothering to interrupt. He wanted to respect an admittance of fragility, like he mostly did at the lake. It was unlike him to be so . . . soft, but it seemed his rediscovery of long-ago experiences had triggered some kind growing of change in him. He was terrified of what may become of him emotionally, but his pride wouldn't let him admit that.

"I've known my parents for over six months," Nyx continued, "but you, whom I've gotten to know for only mere weeks! You are strange for having such an effect on me! You, an albino peacock prince who was exiled for mass murder"—she paused as she noticed Shen's slight wince—"could make me feel more like a person than a formal husk of blue-blooded feathers. This ease I've felt around _you_ of all people . . . it's terrifying! But at the same time, it feels wonderful to regain an old feeling as good as this. I've been taught to be ladylike, prim, proper, polite and—and a new person in the public eye!"

Shen decided to speak, smirking smugly. "So _I_ did this? And are you saying we are done with formalities? That is something I am fine with, simply because people like me must maintain a constant formal business act around workers and others of a lower class."

Nyx knew what he meant. He never kept his walls down around others, and though she still had more to face, it was progress. At the same time, her own walls were falling with his, but at a noticeably faster rate; it wasn't a part of her plan, but the reveal of one's true person came with forming any kind of bond with them. It made her feel ambivalent towards it all.

"I'm sure we must feel some kind of relaxation at one point, Shen. I—" Her mind suddenly went blank. Then almost out of nowhere, her mind buzzed with all sorts of activity. She didn't know what and why that happened, but it felt a little overwhelming, and in the end she ended up blurting, "I need more clothes."

Shen grew confused. His face scrunched up as he tried to discern the situation. "What?"

He questioned how such a sentimental topic suddenly shifted to mentioning a need for more clothes. However, he did agree. From what he'd seen Nyx wear for the times she was with them, she wore the same hanfu almost every day; the blanket counted. The only problem was trusting her to be with him the next time he and his men went out to restock . . . and that trip was scheduled to be the day after tomorrow.

Shen cleared his throat. He supposed an act of trust wouldn't hurt. From his recent experiences with Nyx, she seemed trustworthy enough. Lying was also apparently something she was terrible at.

"I don't know why I said that, but I actually do need more clothes. Yes, more clothes. This hanfu is the only thing I have, and now I'm starting to feel unclean! Why, I don't know myself, and this feeling of uncleanliness and mess in my mind is driving me into insanity," she rambled, looking down.

"Actually," he piped up, "we are going on a trip to restock in two days. I suppose can trust you with us just this once."

Nyx glanced at Shen. "Really?"

"Yes, yes, I'm allowing you to come! But stick close so I can keep an eye on you." The swan inched closer to the peacock. She craned her neck towards Shen and carefully scrutinized him. He leaned his head towards her, quietly whispering, "Perhaps you may hear or find anything useful. You should learn more about this place, to open you up to the other dangers here."

"Ah, then I accept the offer. Thank you." Nyx returned to her previous spot. "I apologize for acting unusual. Worry not, I'm still myself, despite acting more at ease around you. This could provide you something new about me. We do learn new things about each other every day, after all."

Shen smirked. "The trip can act like a test. Take a chance to flee and I will not miss the opportunity to find you and punish you."

Nyx nodded. "Understood."

That was odd. Now she no longer knew. Either she acted herself around him or she didn't. That was a moment of confusion, and it was embarrassing on her part. At least she got the chance to tag along and possibly discover more about the country she was in. Maybe she could even find someone selling senbon needles somewhere.

A yawn escaped her.

"It's best we return," said Shen. "With its ups and downs, this night was, admittedly what, a great night. But of course we must end things, or we may fail to work properly during the day. Now if you'll excuse me, I must change."

"Of course," Nyx replied, tiredly rubbing her eyes as she turned around.

When Shen was finished readying himself, they made their way back to the village ruins. By the time they reached the shack, drowsiness was taking over them both.

"That 'tour' was a good excuse for some time together," drawled Nyx as she leaned against the door. She hid a yawn and went through the doorway.

"By the way," Shen began, tapping a metallic talon against the grass, "what you said earlier, at the lake . . ." He paused, thinking of the right words. Nyx perked up and listened the best she could. "And about you admitting those things, I—thank you. In a way, admitting those flaws helped me relax more around you, between the two of us. So I think it's safe to say that I also find this same ease around you. Maybe it's why I decided you trustworthy enough to come along on the trip."

Nyx smiled. "Thank you, too. I never thought I could admit those things so quickly, but you made it happen. I guess it also helps us grow more as friends—we know more about each other. Our flaws; our stories; and more little facts about each other that matter little to others except for the two of us. With all that I've been taught regarding etiquette and behaviour, I sometimes wonder which is the real me, and which isn't. So thank you for opening up that one part of me. It helps with self-discovery and all."

Shen nodded slowly as Nyx began to chuckle.

"I'm nearing my thirties and I have yet to do some kind of soul search! I guess the business in my life made me work more and enjoy less. Regardless, thank you, Shen." The swan played with a feather as she spoke.

"Well, I have one more thing to add. It might be nice to know," Shen mentioned, which caught Nyx's attention. The peacock then looked at the swan with serious eyes. "It has been awhile since we've truly left this place, hasn't it? I'm sure visiting the nearby villages could help us gain information regarding Liu Wei and maybe about the condition of Gongmen City. Even if I trust you enough to come along, I still find it best to join us and help gather information. That is if you wish to not act like a sitting duck, like you previously mentioned."

The black swan nodded solemnly. "You're right, I don't. Simply doing nothing here when there is something big happening out there bites at me. I've done all I can do here and something new such as this shouldn't be passed up. Once again I thank you for the offer, milord."

Shen waved a wing. "Yes, now off you go! You still have cooking duties tomorrow morning."

"Of course." Nyx began to enter the small building, before stopping to glance at Shen. She nodded as she quietly spoke, "I didn't find you too much of a threat because I am determined to help you better yourself. It's clear now that you're progressing well."

Shen scoffed. "I could kill you here right now if I wanted to."

"I know, but you're not making a single move right now. What I said earlier—all those insults at the lake, and even admitting to lacking chores out here—it all could have indeed ended in my death or some form of punishment. Again, I wish for you to cease your plans because I know it will just end badly for you. Those things you did in the past that led to your exile, they didn't result in something good. Please think hard over what you are about to do." Nyx let out a breath, closing her eyes apologetically. "I try because not only I but your own men think you can become someone better. And yet I know of my own limits when it comes to helping you. The rest of what I cannot do would be up to you."

"And it's like I said, I won't go full good-guy once I'm friends with you," Shen muttered.

"But you didn't deny the possibility of change," Nyx pointed out. She then cleared her throat. "Er, but that doesn't mean this friendship is simply to change you. I enjoy being your friend—"

"As do I," interrupted Shen, cheeks tinting red as he looked away. "I feel as if I'm being too soft on you. Yes, you definitely would have ended up dead with all the things you said at the lake. Why you didn't die was because"—Shen sighed—"I no longer know myself. Friendship was something I have experienced, but that was a long time ago. What I do know is that the reason is something different, but I can't grasp specifically what it is. Anyway, you should get some rest. I'd like some sleep of my own as well."

Nyx smiled. "Then I'm glad I'm making some kind of impact. Good night, Shen."

"Good night, Nyx," Shen spoke, a little too softly for his liking. He quickly turned and speed-walked away, cursing silently to himself as he hid the growing redness on his cheeks.

It was a surprisingly enjoyable night.

* * *

"Over there! Wait, move it back a little—don't be sloppy on me! Move, move, move!" The boars grunted as they tried to keep up with Shen's orders, carrying the heavy skeleton of a cannon as they did so. Said peacock paced as he glared impatiently at each of them.

"Milord seems to be a little impatient today. He looks deprived of his sleep," mused Nian Gao, wiping the tray he held in slight discomfort.

Nyx was doing surprisingly well at holding in her rising snicker. She maintained a straight face as she helped Nian Gao clean the dishes. It was amazing how one can act so different around a certain crowd, and Shen was a good example of such a thought. To others he may be acting the same way—with a hint of sleep deprivation—but in reality he was slowly turning into someone better; he had been awfully merciful lately, but that biggest side of mercy was with his only current friend in the area. A small part of Nyx was proud she got to see that one side of him, but at the same time another part was guilty for being unable to share it with the others; they wanted Shen to stray from the dark path just as much as she did.

The swan's thoughts continued to drift off as she eyed the scene. It then grew to a point that she was unknowingly staring at the peacock in the distance.

Nian Gao raised a concerned brow as he watched his friend.

"Are you okay, Nyx?" The weasel frowned when he couldn't get a response from the swan. A paw was then waved in front of her, which snapped her attention to the source of the action.

"Yes? Is there anything you need?" Nyx spoke as if nothing unusual occurred. The concerned frown of Nian Gao's face remained.

"You we're spaced out a few moments ago! Is there anything youneed?"

Nyx's eyes widened slightly as she shook her head. She then put away the bowl she held. "Oh, nothing at all! Thank you for the concern, though. I was just thinking to myself."

"I-I don't mean to sound intrusive, but about what?"

"It was all the facets a person could have. The way they act around a certain crowd or environment. It's interesting how it can go."

Nian Gao tilted his head confusedly. "I guess it is? Where did this come from?"

"Knowing many people here got my mind working. Everyone of you, similar in a fate for your pasts, yet so different in personality. In all my years of living, I never was much for larger crowds. I remember going to markets, but that was all because my mind was set on the place rather than the people. I knew of how people could be, but it wasn't much to consider. Coming here is starting to open me up to some new experiences," Nyx responded.

"Ah, I guess it does!" Nian Gao nodded, smiling as he worked. Nyx had a smile of her own, but of a different reason.

"I guess it does," she agreed, looking at Shen. Her reasons were somewhat true, but she didn't feel guilty for telling a half-lie to the young weasel.


	16. HIATUS NOTE

**IMPORTANT!**

**If you were expecting an update, then I'm sorry to disappoint you, but this is a HIATUS NOTE. If you are planning to continue sticking with the story then I suggest you read this.**

**Okay, to start off, to all that have been following this story, I sincerely apologize for the lack of an update, and for acting on the lack thereof around a year later!**

**I actually have been struggling with severe writer's block, combined with a lack of motivation I tend to get with long, multi-chapter stories like these; if you have scrolled through my profile, you may or may not notice that I actually have another multi-chapter fic that's been lacking updates, and the reason why is the same as this. I feel that if I force myself to just throw some updates here and there, then I may end up rushing the story and it would end up worse than how it should and could be. This I know because I did a similar action with a completed multi-chapter fanfic from a different fandom, and in the end I was and still am unsatisfied and displeased with the outcome (and I'm honestly surprised that people still read and sometimes favourite it); if I found the time and motivation then I would definitely rewrite it! I don't want WNF to end up like that, so I'm taking it easy until I feel ready to pick things up again. What else is that I'm kinda (okay, definitely am) starting this other new series (a different fandom, though it may be familiar to some out there) to help motivate me more, but in all honesty I'm not even sure if it'll work, especially since I have two fanfics on the must-update list (this being one of them)—but, well, I've been having some ideas for months so I just gotta get it out (one of the big reasons as to why I post fanfics other than to provide quality for other readers because I know the feeling you may get when you think you're out of things to read).**

**On a positive note, I actually have the entire story planned for a while now! I just need to fix things up a bit, as I feel a little . . . embarrassed, you can say, with some parts that I plan to change into something that's hopefully better and more in tune with the plot. I may also edit posted chapters for better structure, I guess.**

**With the pandemic going, things around the world are going crazy. So hopefully you all are safe and well out there, and thank you for sticking with this story!**

**Stay safe out there, and have a good day despite the circumstances! :)**


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